Women's Work Division
Upon the inauguration of Civil Works, which afforded mainly engineering and construction jobs, it was immediately apparent that very few work opportunities would be available for women. To deal with this problem, the Federal Emergency Relief Administration established the Women's Division as an adjunct of the Civil Works Administration. Women's' work projects were of two types, Civil Works projects and Civil Works Service projects. The Civil Works projects included clerical help and were paid from CWA funds. The Civil Works Service projects included employing women in North Carolina as County Court Officers, Clerks of Court, Registers of Deeds, janitors to schools, librarians, County Health Department workers, furniture repair workers, sewing room workers (making mattresses, rugs, quilts and garments) and other variations of this type of work. In this way women were able to earn some much needed income for their families as well as provide relief items for those in need.
List of Images:
- Women making rugs in Durham County, c.1934.
- Women making quilts in Durham County, c.1934.
- Women's sewing room in Charlotte, c.1934.
- Project application for a sewing room at Southport.
- Women's sewing room run with the cooperation of the Red Cross, Wilmington, 1934.
- Women's Work Division reports.
- Women making mattresses in Wilmington in 1934.
- Project application for mattress making in Buncombe County.
- Furniture making and repair in Mecklenburg County, part of the Women's Division.
- Furniture making and repair in Buncombe County, part of the Women's Division.