Big D / 1919–1945

Prosperity Ends

The pleasures and profits of the twenties came to a sudden halt in late 1929. The crash of the stock market in distant New York City brought financial ruin, and across the nation commerce slowed, businesses closed, and people lost jobs. By 1931, 18,500 Dallasites were out of work. Government programs to help those in dire need did not yet exist at the federal or local level. Charities stepped up to help where they could. Hungry people in all cities could be seen waiting in line for free meals at soup kitchens, as in this scene in Dallas.