The Travel Bureau in the New Deal was a semi-successful solution to the problems of the Great Depression.
The Travel Bureau was the first time that the US Government got involved with promoting, and expanding the US tourism industry. The Bureau kickstarted the US tourism market by getting the word out to middle-class citizens that the United States had new, and beautiful tourist attractions, just waiting to be seen. The organization was extremely important for the development of leisure activities, and these areas with National Parks and landmarks throughout the country. The newfound leisure time during this period led Americans to spend more money on tourism to these places, which in turn pumped more money into the economy, solving one of
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African Americans were disproportionately affected by the Great Depression and were still facing challenges because of racism throughout the country. The general unemployment rate during the Great Depression was 25%, however, the rate for African Americans it was 50%. (Mercer) The Green Book was a travel guide made for African Americans wanting to travel the country. The guide was created by Victor Hugo Green, and was distributed by an African American member of the Travel Bureau. During this time period, there was still ramped discrimination towards African Americans throughout America and especially in the Jim Crow South. The Green Book was a travel guide geared towards making the traveling experience more accessible, safer, and comfortable for African Americans. The book did this by listing all of the African-American-friendly stores, gas stations, restaurants, and lodging locations in the area. By doing this, many African American-owned businesses thrived, as well as the travelers that journeyed to these places. The Green Book was a game changer for African Americans wanting to travel throughout the country and offered a safer, more pleasurable experience to travelers, as well as helping the African American-owned business and jobs that had been attacked during the Great Depression. The Green Book brought an entirely new audience into the tourism industry, which helped the Travel Bureau solve an issue of the Great