A Family Forced to Leave Their Home During the Great Depression – Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, June 1938

The Great Depression was one of the darkest periods in American history, and for many families, it meant the loss of their homes, livelihoods, and sense of security. In June 1938, in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, one such family was forced to pack up what little they had and leave their home behind, a heartbreaking reality shared by thousands across the country.

Oklahoma, like much of the Midwest, was hit particularly hard by the economic downturn and the Dust Bowl, a devastating series of dust storms that turned once-fertile farmland into barren wastelands. Many farming families who had relied on the land for generations suddenly found themselves unable to grow crops or pay their debts. Banks foreclosed on farms, and families had no choice but to leave in search of new opportunities, often heading west to California in hopes of finding work.

Photographs from that time show families like the one in Pittsburg County, standing outside their modest homes with solemn expressions, their belongings piled onto old trucks or wagons. The journey ahead was uncertain and harsh, with many facing extreme poverty, hunger, and discrimination.

This moment in history reflects not just economic hardship but also resilience. These families, despite being uprooted and facing an uncertain future, carried on with hope, determination, and the dream of building a better life. Their struggles were later immortalized in literature and photography, such as in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, which depicted the plight of displaced farmers from Oklahoma.

The story of this Oklahoma family in 1938 serves as a poignant reminder of the hardships faced during the Great Depression and the strength of those who endured them.