The Dust Bowl and Migrant Farmers

The Origins of the Dust Bowl

In 1931 a change came over the Southern Plains region of the United States. Massive dust storms known as "black blizzards" decimated the once-fertile farming land, blowing away the topsoil that was necessary to grow crops. Almost instantaneously, the area was covered in a layer of thick, dark, dust. 

In the following years, the storms did not subside. In fact, they steadily got worse for almost a decade, leading many farmers to reconsider their options. The Dust Bowl was a bleak time for Southern Plains farmers. Animals died, crops withered, and many suffered from a sickness known as "dust pneumonia". 

Mass Migration of Southern Plains Farmers

An estimated one fourth of Dust Bowl farmers left the region, many looking for any kind of work in California. Packing up all of their possessions and loading them and their families onto the backs of pickup trucks, the farmers would then embark on the grueling journey West. However, the scene in California was nearly as desolate as the place they had come from. Work was incredibly scarce and because of the huge amount of migrants looking for jobs, wages were low. Living conditions were bad and food was hard to come by. 

The Southern Plains farmers had to deal with discrimination by local people once they arrived. Called "Okies" derogatorily, the farmers were denied jobs because of their origins. 

Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath was a novel by John Steinbeck that followed the lives of the Joads, a farming family who lived in Oklahoma and migrated to California. It became a cultural phenomenon, sparking controversy amongst those who believed it to be propaganda. Nevertheless, it made an impression on the public and proved to be a fairly accurate depiction of the hard times the migrant Okies were subject to.

Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/dustbowl-mass-exodus-plains/

http://www.steinbeck.org/pages/the-grapes-of-wrath-book-synopsis