Key Points from Bertha McCall's Testimony

Bertha McCall's Testimony on Migration (1940)

• Bertha McCall: General Director of the National Travelers Aid Association.

• Focus on the displacement of individuals/families during the Great Depression.

• Testified to the House of Representatives on internal migration of destitute citizens.

Nature of Migration

• Migration not a new phenomenon; influenced by drought, flood, war, and new territories.

• Terms used for impacted individuals: nonresident, transient, migrant, immigrat, etc.

Context of the Great Depression

• Significant migration from 1929 to 1931 due to job losses.

• Federal Government involved to address issues caused by increased transient populations.

Characteristics of Transients

• Transients largely similar to stationary populations; often viewed negatively as bums or hoboes.

• Many transients were enterprising, energetic, and had solid educational backgrounds.

Reasons for Migration

• Families migrate seeking better living conditions and job opportunities, believing the next place will be more favorable.

• Collective decisions made by families to pursue improved circumstances.