Appointed director of the Federal Writers' Project in New York City
Poet involved
What happened
In 1935, Orrick Johns was appointed supervisor of the Federal Writers' Project in New York City, a New Deal program that employed unemployed writers during the Great Depression. He administered the project until his resignation in 1937, managing a large staff and overseeing the production of guidebooks and other works that documented American life.
Literary impact
The directorship gave Johns a position of significant authority in the literary world and allowed him to support fellow writers during a time of economic hardship, reinforcing his belief in the social purpose of literature. His administrative experience and exposure to diverse writing styles broadened his perspective on American culture and deepened his commitment to documentary and socially conscious writing.
Source: Wikiwand
