Term Paper on "Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America"

Term Paper 4 pages (1419 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927

How did the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 impact America? Author John Barry points to several important ways in which America was impacted, beyond the suffering and dislocation that was the immediate result of the flood. For one thing, the Great Mississippi Flood impacted politics. Herbert Hoover won the Republican nomination based the aftermath of the flood and because he was seen - albeit not legitimately - as a hero. On page 395 Barry writes that as far as the nomination for president, "The flood had swept him to it; made him once again a hero, once again the Great Humanitarian." What actually happened was that Hoover was aware that following the flood, the number of people afflicted with pellagra rose to 50,000 in the Mississippi delta.

But moreover, there was blatant discrimination against blacks in the refugee camps. Many blacks were barely surviving and yet all refugees were supposed to receive Red Cross assistance including feed, seed, tools, clothes, and "basic furnishings to start again" (388). Blacks who owned farms and lance "got almost nothing" to help them rebuild their farms and lives. Still, Hoover used blacks to make the case that he, Hoover, had been a good leader and had helped people who were victimized by the flood.

So, according to the author, politics went Hoover's way due to his use of the flood as an example of his stewardship. By creating a "Colored Advisory Commission" and appointing Robert Moton chairman, Hoover looked good (even though Hoover sabotaged the black effort). The author does explain how, in the end, Hoover benefited from the flood, and Barry emphasizes key issues that show how the public was led to believe Hoover was in fact a hero. Raising money from private sources, with much fanfare, made Hoover look good, although on page 371, Barry writes, "The government itself would do nothing to help flood victims recover." Even with a $635 million surplus in the national treasury, with a disaster "...that affected almost 1% of the nation's population," the federal government didn't even consider a "loan-guarantee program." The War Department tried to charge the Red Cross for the blankets they gave away, and by putting a stop to that, Hoover seemed a humanitarian, although he surely wasn't, if Barry's book is to be believed. Barry has provided ample evidence to support the case that Hoover just wanted to get nominated and elected, and that he really just used the flood and he used blacks to promote his own agenda.

This occurred in exactly the opposite way that it worked for George W. Bush in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Bush was loudly criticized for his administration's failure to properly help the people flooded out of their homes - especially the poor people and blacks - and indeed deal with the crisis Katrina causes. And while Hoover took credit for and was applauded for his efforts, his efforts fell far short of being truly helpful to blacks. But the appearance of Hoover being the great humanitarian did help propel Hoover into the White House.

Another impact the flood had on America was the fact that after heavy lobbying in Washington and many Congressional hearings, flood control legislation was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge, who initially opposed using federal money for the rebuilding of Mississippi River areas devastated by the floods. "The law set a precedent," Barry wrote on page 407, "of direct, comprehensive, and vastly expanded federal involvement on local affairs." The signing of the legislation "reflected a major shift" in the way Americans believed their national government should act.

Yet another impact the flood had on America was the decline of New Orleans, which according to Barry was severe. The city "decayed" after the flood, even though prior to the flood New Orleans had "...vastly more economic activity than any city in the South" (411). The city "shrank" and while banks prospered in Memphis, Dallas, and Atlanta, banks in New Orleans - even up to today - were never able to rebound from the flood. Even today - resulting from both the flood of 1927 and from the 2006 effects of Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans struggles. Barry waffles a little… READ MORE

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