Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*
Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol
Already have an account?
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?

What was life like in the Great Depression?

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Depression era family
Homer Sharer and his family in Estherville, Iowa, December of 1936. Sharer was employed as a hired hand for 16 months, but was on unemployment relief at the time of this photo.
Courtesy of the Library of Congress

In Minnesota Public Radio's UBS Forum, American RadioWorks executive editor Stephen Smith hosted an event called "Hard Times and Pastimes." He asked economics correspondent Chris Farrell and a group of historians to talk about what life was like for individuals living in the Great Depression.

Gallery
1 of 1
Depression era family
Homer Sharer and his family in Estherville, Iowa, December of 1936. Sharer was employed as a hired hand for 16 months, but was on unemployment relief at the time of this photo.
Courtesy of the Library of Congress