Dedicated to Mr. Gibson, the reason why we made this book. 

Hi I'm Isaac Fairson, a 10 year old boy who loves to eat my mom's food. She cooks so good, and I love when she makes soul food. I love my parents and I would love for you to meet them, and they've gotten new jobs. 

These are my parents, Lenny and Azilee Fairson. My dad used to work a normal job, a laborer I think? A sharecropper. I don't know what job my mom has, but I noticed she's been coming home earlier. At least I get to spend more time with her!!

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1. Gilworth, Mea. “Hoovervilles-A Downturn In American History.” Survivors of the Great Depression. TRIPOD, Accessed February 23, 2025. https://hoovervillehistory.tripod.com/id7.html.

I'm hungry, and it's been a while since I last ate.

Maybe it's because of my parents? Could they have had a job change or even unemployment? My mom used to come home with so much food, and now she barely even brings anything or cooks food. Maybe their jobs are bringing them less money. Ehhh, whatever. I'm probably overthinking it like I usually do. 

2.  "Children and Adolescents, Impact of the Great Depression on ." Encyclopedia of the Great Depression. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2025). https://www.encyclopedia.com/economics/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/children-and-adolescents-impact-great-depression

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Hey guys, I'm back from school! Wait, why are you dressed like that, dad?

Son, I got laid off from my job and now I am forced to be a sharecropper..

Ma', Pa' what happened to your jobs?? Why were you forced to be a sharecropper, and ma' why have you been wearing the same clothes so often? You also come home so early too.. I'm very worried..

Oh sweetie... The stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, and ever since then, many people have lost their money or savings, and have lost their jobs. Your father was one of them, and was forced to become a sharecropper.

3. Stull, Ardyth A. “Stories of the children of the Great Depression: What I learned from my parents.” content. Iowa State University, 2013. https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/bab02ace-4b10-4a33-a4dd-c6e9cd74ccc6/content.

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Yes, son, and we decided that it was best for your mother to stay unemployed, and take care of you more often sonny. In the meantime she could look for a decent job and spend more quality time with you.

Everyday, she comes back home with less food?... It's getting so bad that flies are coming out of her bag, too.

Hi honey!..

4. Meissner, Daniel J. “Life During the Great Depression.” Web Page Template. Marquette University. Accessed February 22, 2025. https://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/depression.htm#:~:text=Dietary%20diseases%20were%20rampant%20because,unable%20to%20fight%20off%20disease.

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Ugh... I can't focus and I feel so weak right now. Damnit, I dropped my book and pencil but I'm too dizzy to pick them up. I also don't want to burden my parents with this.

Do I look okay??

Hmm... it seems as though you've lost a lot of weight lately. How come it's so easy for you but so hard for me? Haha, just kidding (kind of). But seriously, are you okay? You look a little green in the face.

5. Sanchelli, Michael T. “Minnesota's Greatest Generation.” Memoir of Michael T. Sanchelli | Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota Historical Society, 2006. https://mgg-mnhs-archive-288bd72f38aeeb5c5ccf5d6a66dab0022e28c474e61afb.gitlab.io/dev-mnhsorg.pantheonsite.io/mgg/artifact/sanchellims.html.

No, I'm not okay!

I feel sick to my stomach. I need food.

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A doctor said that I'm suffering from malnutrition, and he put me on bed rest. Apparently I'm not eating enough nutritious food. Which makes sense cause we have no food at home..

Hi Isaac! I have some great news for you. The AAA might've put us in bad situation because it got rid of the demand for sharecroppers like me, but now the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation has saved us because we will be receiving food from FDR now!!!

4 DAYS LATER

6. “Great Depression Facts.” Great Depression Facts - FDR Presidential Library & Museum. National Archives, Accessed February 23, 2025. https://www.fdrlibrary.org/great-depression-facts#:~:text=Factories%20were%20shut%20down%2C%20farms,a%20seemingly%20never%2Dending%20cycle .

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Thanks to FDR I was able to come back with food! I bought lard, flour, cereal, butter, canned beef, and pork.

7. Roosevelt, Franklin D. “Radio Address at the White House Conference on Children in a Democracy. Washington, D.C.” The American Presidency Project. UC Santa Barbara, Accessed February 23, 2025.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/radio-address-the-white-house-conference-children-democracy-washington-dc

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