Works Projects Administration (WPA)
The WPA's goal was to eliminate the countries high unemployment and preserve the skills and self-esteem of the people. Headed by Harry Hopkins, the WPA was the first attempt by the federal government to save the arts. It employed a wide range of artists and allowed much experimentation. Overall it employed more than 12 million people and consumed almost $2 billion. The WPA, whose name was changed to the Works Projects Administration in 1939 after an attempt to cut down corruption, was terminated in 1943 for economic and political reasons. The WPA built 650,000 miles of road, 125,000 public buildings, 75,000 buildings, and 800 airports, some of these projects are still in use today.
