Origin of the CCCs

Three generations have been born since one of the most popular New Deal Programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps, was passed into law under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who was inaugurated March 4, 1933; Congress passed and FDR signed the legislation to establish the agency on March 31, 1933.

The agency was created to solve two of the nation's biggest problems--unemployment and the need to improve the country's natural resources.

In 1932 just twenty-five percent of men aged 15-24 had even a part-time job. The balance of the nation's young men and a majority of older men were on the streets with no jobs to be had. No jobs, no money, no food. The men lined up for free food in soup lines.

It was the Great Depression.

April 7, 1933--just 37 days after his inauguration, the first man was enrolled in the CCCs.