The Great Depression & The New Deal

Black and Latino Voices in Economic Hardship

Mary McLeod Bethune with a Line of Girls from the School. | Library of Congress

Lesson Overview

This 40-minute lesson examines the impact of the Great Depression and the New Deal on Black and Latino communities in the United States. Through primary source analysis, discussion, and reflection, students will explore how figures like Mary McLeod Bethune, Magdalena Acosta Carrasquillo, Felix Loperena, and Gonzalo Plasencia fought for racial and economic justice. The lesson fosters critical thinking and historical inquiry while making connections between past and present struggles for equity.

Standards Alignment (Danielson 1a )

NYS Social Studies Framework:

• 11.6: Analyze New Deal programs and their impact on marginalized communities.

ELA Common Core Standards:

• RH.9-10.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of primary sources.

• RH.9-10.2: Determine central ideas from historical texts.

C3 Framework:

• Dimension 2 (Historical Perspectives): Examine diverse perspectives on historical events.

Learning Objectives & Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will: 

• Use two pieces of textual evidence to evaluate how the New Deal impacted Black and Latino Americans. 

• Engage in a structured discussion comparing historical and modern racial and economic equity struggles. 

• Write a reflection connecting working-class resilience during the Great Depression to present-day challenges.

Materials & Resources (Danielson 1d )

• Primary Source Packet (Differentiated for Readability & Visuals)

  • Mary McLeod Bethune (1938): Letter advocating for Black workers’ rights.

  • Interview with Magdalena Acosta Carrasquillo: Puerto Rican activist on community organizing and labor rights.

  • Interview with Felix Loperena: Puerto Rican laborer on employment discrimination and economic hardship.

  • Interview with Gonzalo Plasencia: Puerto Rican organizer on discrimination in employment and policing.

• Graphic Organizer ("Notice and Focus") for structured analysis.

• Vocabulary Support Handout (definitions and historical context).

• Reflection Sentence Starter Handout to scaffold writing.

Lesson Sequence (40 Minutes)

Introduction & Activating Prior Knowledge (Minutes 0-5)

Objective: Connect historical hardships to student experiences.

"Think of a strength in your community. How could this help during economic hardship?"

1. Think-Pair-Share (2 minutes): 

   • Students write a brief response.

   • Turn to a partner and discuss.

2. Whole-Class Share (3 minutes): 

   • Call on two students to share insights.

   • Teacher bridges responses to the lesson: "Today, we’ll explore how Black and Latino communities navigated the Great Depression and fought for fair treatment under the New Deal."

Direct Instruction & Primary Source Modeling (Minutes 5-10)

Instructions:

● Read each primary source excerpt carefully

● Annotate key phrases that stand out to you

● Answer the guiding questions for each source

● Use the checklist below to assess your work at the end

Reads Aloud the Excerpt

Primary Source #1: Mary McLeod Bethune’s Letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Black citizens must receive equal opportunities in the New Deal… We seek not charity, but a chance to work. Our people have contributed to this nation, and yet we are too often left behind in the benefits promised to all. Mr. President, I urge you to ensure that Black men and women have the right to fair employment and are not excluded from programs that should serve all Americans."

What does this tell us about discrimination in New Deal programs?

Share out

Transition to Group Work:

"Now, you will analyze a primary source in small groups using the same strategy."

Small Group Primary Source Analysis (Minutes 10-20)

Objective: Students engage in critical analysis of historical documents.

1. Students Work in Differentiated Groups

   • Bethune’s letter (Black workers’ employment rights).

   • Magdalena Acosta Carrasquillo’s interview (Puerto Rican community organizing).

   • Felix Loperena’s interview (employment discrimination and economic hardship).

   • Gonzalo Plasencia’s interview (employment discrimination and policing).

2. Complete Graphic Organizer by answering check for understanding questions

   Think about: 

   • Who is speaking?

   • What is their main argument?

   • What evidence supports their claim? 

   
   

3. Teacher Circulates and Checks for Understanding: 

   • "What key phrase stood out to you?"

   • "Why do you think this speaker felt they needed to say this?"

Primary Source #2: Interview with Magdalena Acosta Carrasquillo

(Puerto Rican Activist on Labor Rights & Community Organizing)

"During the Depression, we formed clubs to support each other. The Betances Democratic Club gave us a voice when we felt invisible. We fought for fair wages and for better treatment of Puerto Rican workers. Many of us were struggling, but together, we made sure no one in our community went hungry. We organized, we protested, and we stood up for our people’s rights."

Guiding Questions:

1. What role did community organizations play in supporting Puerto Rican workers?

2. How did these organizations help fi ght for labor rights?

3. In what ways did Puerto Ricans resist economic discrimination during the New Deal era?

Primary Source #3: Interview with Felix Loperena

(Puerto Rican Laborer on Economic Hardship & Discrimination)

"Finding work was diffi cult, not just because of the Depression, but because of who we were. Employers did not want to hire Puerto Ricans. Many of us had to take the lowest-paying jobs in factories, or we worked as street vendors just to survive. We faced insults, threats, and sometimes violence, but we kept going. We had no choice. We worked to feed our families."

Guiding Questions:

1. What challenges did Puerto Rican workers face in the labor market?

2. How did Felix Loperena describe discrimination in employment?

3. What strategies did Puerto Ricans use to survive and resist economic hardship?

Primary Source #4: Interview with Gonzalo Plasencia

(Puerto Rican Organizer on Discrimination & Policing)

"Jobs were scarce, and many employers didn’t want us. But the discrimination wasn’t just at work—it was everywhere. The police would stop us just for being Puerto Rican, assuming we were causing trouble. We decided to fi ght back, not with violence, but with action. We organized parades like the Puerto Rican Pioneers Parade to show that we were proud of who we were. We created organizations to defend our people’s rights and to demand respect."

Guiding Questions:

1. How does Plasencia describe discrimination beyond the workplace?

2. What strategies did Puerto Ricans use to fi ght for their rights?

3. How did cultural pride and activism become forms of resistance?

4. Whole-Class Discussion & Mid-Lesson Check (Minutes 20-30)

Objective: Synthesize findings and strengthen analytical thinking.

1. Each Group Shares One Key Finding (1 Sentence Per Group)

   
   

2. Teacher Asks Structured Questions:

   • "How did Mary McLeod Bethune advocate for Black workers?"

   • "What obstacles did Puerto Rican workers face in the New Deal era?"

   • "How does Felix Loperena’s experience reflect larger economic struggles?"

     
     

3. Quick Check for Understanding:

   • "If you had to describe the New Deal’s impact on Black and Latino Americans in one sentence, what would you say?"

5. Individual Reflection & Connection to Today (Minutes 30-38)

Objective: Students apply historical lessons to modern issues.

1. Students Complete a Short Reflection Using Sentence Starters: "Identify one strength Black and Latino communities demonstrated during the Depression that we could apply today. Support with evidence."

   
   

2. Voluntary Sharing: 

   • Teacher invites two students to share their reflections.

   • Affirms responses

6. Closure & Next Steps (Minutes 38-40)

-  Objective: Summarize key ideas and connect past to present

1. Teacher Summarizes Key Takeaways: 

   • "We’ve seen that Black and Latino leaders fought for fairness in the New Deal, even though they faced obstacles. Their advocacy laid the groundwork for future civil rights movements." 

     
     

2. Real-World Connection: 

   • "What current policies or movements remind you of these historical struggles?"

Assessment Methods (Danielson 1f, 3d )

Formative:

• Teacher Observations: Monitors group discussions and annotations.

• Mid-Lesson Check: Students summarize the New Deal’s impact in one sentence.

Summative:

• Individual Reflections: Students apply historical analysis to modern challenges.