State Archives Series 1039 AV Ohio Guide Photographs

              State Archives Series 1039 AV
Ohio Federal Writers’ Project
Ohio Guide photographs, ca. 1935-1943
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OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
State Archives Record Series
State Archives Series 1039 AV
OHIO FEDERAL WRITERS’ PROJECT
OHIO GUIDE PHOTOGRAPHS, CA. 1935-1943
OVERVIEW OF THE SERIES
Series Number: 1039 AV
Creating Agency: Ohio Federal Writers’ Project
Series Title: Ohio Guide photographs
Dates of Series: ca. 1935-1943
Media: Photographs
Quantity: 6.5 cubic ft. (4,769 photographs); Nitrate film negatives
Location: Ohio Historical Center
AGENCY BACKGROUND
On May 6, 1935, the Works Progress Administration was established by executive order
7034. The prime objective of the WPA was to create public works jobs for the increasing
number of unemployed Americans on government relief rolls. The public works
programs were not only to provide employment for out-of-work laborers, but also for
thousands of artists, musicians, actors, and writers.
Incorporated into the WPA in the summer of 1935 was Federal Project Number One that
created the Federal Arts Program. The FAP included the Federal Art Project, Federal
Music Project, Federal Theater Project, and Federal Writers’ Project. (Later the Historical
Records Survey was added). All projects were administered by the Professional and
Service Division of the WPA and, in the case of the Federal Writers’ Project(FWP),
editorial control was held with the National Director, Henry G. Alsberg. Each state had a
number of writers’ project districts that reported to a state director. This director,
independent from the state WPA administrator, reported directly to Washington, D.C.
One of the primary goals of the FWP was the completion of the American Guide Series,
a compilation of guidebooks to each state. These guides were to include the history of