The Migrant Experience

During the ten years of the Great Depression, California’s population grew more than 20 percent. Half of the newcomers came from cities, not farms; one in six were professionals or white-collar workers. Of the 315,000 who arrived from Oklahoma, Texas, and neighboring states, only 16,000 were from the Dust Bowl itself. But regardless of where they actually came from, regardless of their skills, their education, and their individual reasons for seeking a new life in a new place, to most Californians—and to the nation at large—they were all the same. And they all had the same name—“Okies.” Learning Objectives Students will:  Explore the migrants’ journey to California and the challenges and prejudice they faced Describe the life of migrants who traveled to California in the 1930s

Tex Pace left the panhandle for CA and convinced his family to follow him. He lived and worked in Visalia, CA in a new work camp. He met his wife Dorothy at a camp talent show and got married at the local movie theater.

The activities within this media gallery explore the discrimination Dust Bowl migrants faced, as well as the social, economic, and political impacts migrants had on communities. Learning Objectives Students will: Understand and analyze the discrimation that Dust Bowl migrants faced after moving to other states; Understand and analyze the quality of life that Dust Bowl migrants had after leaving their homes; Analyze and evaluate the social, economic, and political impacts of the exodus of Dust Bowl migrants on communities already dealing with the effects of the Great Depression;

Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is arguably the most influential American folk musician of the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his folk ballads, traditional and children’s songs, and improvised works, often incorporating political commentary. Woody Guthrie is closely identified with the Dust Bowl and Great Depression of the 1930s. His songs from that time period earned him the nickname "Dust Bowl Troubadour." During the ten years of the Great Depression, California’s population grew more than 20 percent. Half of the newcomers came from cities, not farms; one in six were professionals or white-collar workers. Of the 315,000 who arrived from Oklahoma, Texas, and neighboring states, only 16,000 were from the Dust Bowl itself. But regardless of where they actually came from, regardless of their skills, their education, and their individual reasons for seeking a new life in a new place, to most Californians—and to the nation at large—they were all the same. And they all had the same name—"Okies." In the activities provided in this media gallery, students will analyze the lyrics of Woody Guthrie songs, identifying not only their message but also their effect on audiences in the 1930s and today. Lesson Objectives: Students will: Analyze how musical artists provided commentary on social and political issues of the day. Analyze the lyrics of Woody Guthrie’s Dust Bowl Ballads, identifying their message and effects on the subjects of his songs and his listeners. Analyze how a modern audience would have received Woody Guthrie’s music.