Page 27 - Town of Newcomb Newsletter - July August 2021

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary
public work relief program that operated from 1933-1942

across the US. It was designed to provide jobs for young men
and help relieve families who had difficulty finding work after
the Great Depression. It was a major part of then President
Franklin D. Roosevelts “New Deal.” In the 9 years of it being in
operation three million young men were participants. They had
food, shelter, clothing, and a wage of $30 a month. (this was

equivalent to $600 in 2020), of this $30, $25 had to be sent
home to the families.

The average enrollees were unemployed, unmarried
males whose families were on local relief. They had to pass a
physical exam and/or a period of conditioning plus serve a min-
imum six-month period. They did have the option to continue
for up to 4 periods of six-months if they could not find employ-

ment outside of the camps. They worked 5 days & 40 hours a
week.

Because of the mentality of the era there was segrega-
tion in the camps. Black and whites rarely worked together.
Veterans also were in a different category than the regular vol-
unteers. When they first started the camps in the North, they
were all integrated, but by July 1935 they had become segre-

gated. No real reasoning why. They even had a separate divi-
sion for members of the Native American communities (CCC-
ID).

(continued next page)

27