Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Fall/105/Section059/Herbert Crow

Biography

Herbert Crow grew up in a low middle-class working family. He was born in Burke County, North Carolina, a very rural part of western North Carolina. Here Herbert lived his whole life with his mother and both of his sisters. Herbert was never really fond of school. School work was definitely something that Herbert Crow struggled with his entire school career. He continued to struggle with school until the tenth grade, when he then dropped out and never stepped foot in another school building, which was surprisingly common during this time period. This was no different for his sisters or his parents. No one in Herbert’s immediate family ever completed their educations. He was not at all poor, but he was not exactly well off either. However, this would change for the worse as he grew up. Life during the 1930s was not easy, especially with the low wages of a prison guard. Herbert would often work long twelve to fourteen hour days at the prison camp, where he would be on his feet all but one of those hours where he got just a one hour lunch break. Crow loathed his job and contemplated quitting his prison guard role many times, he claimed that by the end of his long fourteen hour days on his feet that his feet and legs would be unbearably painful where he would have to just wake up and do it all over again the next day. During this time period many people struggled greatly due to the great depression. This is no different for Herbert Crow. During his life he separated from his wife, although he does not explicitly state that the reason is because of his financial situation at the time, but it is hinted at by his answers as he was only making about fifty dollars every month. After his separation he moved into his prison guards board room full time instead of staying at his own home most of the time. He describes this as a very bare room almost as if it is one of the prison cells. This room costed Herbert around six dollars out of his fifty every month. Crow never enjoyed his job or living situation during his time as a prison guard. Herbert never had any kids during this marriage, as they were not financially stable enough to raise and care for any children at the time. This separation along with the high stress job of being a prison guard with very low wages would take a toll mentally on anyone. This shows just how great the impact of the depression was not only on people’s economic status but their social status as well, with many being stripped of their lives as they know it.

Social Context

During the roaring twenties and early 30s organized crime in the United states was at an all-time high. This included both violent and non-violent crimes. With these increased crime rates the incarceration rates were also much higher than normal. With more criminals behind bars it meant the officers in charge of guarding these prisons were at a much higher risk. Mob activity during the early 1930s was also extremely high. These organized crime groups held immense amounts of power, even over the judicial and law enforcement systems. Many police officers, prison guards and judges could be bought or intimidated into complying with these organized crime groups. This made it extremely dangerous to work in these fields and to deny these groups something that they may have wanted as they did not see very much resistance ever.

Contrary to crime rates separation and divorce rates slipped much lower during the depression. This was often because women had to rely on men for money and shelter even more so than before. As the few jobs that women could hold were no longer available due to the depression. During the 1930s it was often times seen as very taboo to get separated or divorced from your spouse for two reasons. One reason being that the United States was much more religious then than in 2020 so it was seen as sinful to get divorced. The second reason would be that getting divorced, if you were a man, you would just be leaving your wife out on the street with no source of income, food or shelter.

Work Cited

Olito, Frank. “How the Divorce Rate Has Changed over the Last 150 Years.” Insider. Insider, January 30, 2019. https://www.insider.com/divorce-rate-changes-over-time-2019-1.

History.com Editors. “Crime in the Great Depression.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, March 8, 2018. https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/crime-in-the-great-depression.

The Great (Farm) Depression of the 1920s. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.americanhistoryusa.com/great-farm-depression-1920s/

Cusac, A. (2013, January 23). Doing Time in the Depression: Everyday Life in Texas and California Prisons by Ethan Blue. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.triquarterly.org/reviews/doing-time-depression-everyday-life-texas-and-california-prisons-ethan-blue

Leonhardt, D. (2010, May 07). Students of the Great Recession. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/magazine/09fob-wwln-t.html