United States. Work Projects Administration. Kentucky

The Civil Works Administration (CWA), created by executive order on November 9, 1933, was a short-term experiment in work relief. Its general goal was to provide temporary work for needy unemployed during the winter of 1933-1934. Four million people were employed by CWA work relief projects before its close in March, 1934. Partly due to the success of CWA, a Works Division was established in the Federal Emergency Relief Administration to guide states in administering additional work relief projects.

The National Youth Administration (NYA) was established by executive order on June 26, 1935 as part of the Works Progress Administration. Its purpose was to administer relief and employment programs for persons sixteen to twenty-five who were no longer full time students or were unemployed. NYA projects included a student work program, out-of-school work program, and vocational guidance. In 1939, responsibility for NYA transfered to the Federal Security Agency; in 1942, it was placed under the War Manpower Commission. All NYA activities were terminated in December 1943.

On May 6, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, created the Works Progress Administration (WPA) by Executive Order 7034. The Work Projects Administration coordinated a relief program that provided employment for public projects and private employment in lieu of direct relief. Work projects were designed to maintain social services, improve community conditions, coordinate improvements in defense facilities, and to construct schools, hospitals, and other facilities. The Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1939 renamed the program the Work Projects Administration and changed it from an independent agency to a unit of the newly created Federal Works Agency (FWA).

Although the WPA was federally funded its activities were strongly tied to those of state and local governments. These relationships were reflected in an administrative hierachy consisting of WPA headquarters in Washington, D.C., multi-state regional offices, state WPA administrations, and the district offices within states. The state administration was responsible for the general administration of the WPA program in Kentucky, including guidance of sponsors, who shared the costs of certain projects; for public relations; and for securing federal approval and funding for specific projects. The district offices were responsible for the direct management of project operations and related activities such as assigning certified workers to projects, timekeeping, scheduling projects, and cooperating with local sponsors. The number of districts and the territory they incompassed were frequently altered. The Work Projects Administration in Kentucky was headquartered in Louisville.

In 1941, projects not vital to the national defense were terminated. In December 1942, due to increased employment resulting from World War II, the Federal Works Administrator, Major General Philip B. Fleming, and President Roosevelt agreed that WPA operations be terminated. On June 30, 1943, all projects in the states were closed.