Work Pays America: WPA’s Legacy Unveiled

Celebrate the grit and glory of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in "Work Pays America," a sweeping ode to Depression-era resilience across five reels. Opening with workers and a narrator tracing the WPA’s mission, it dives into roadbuilding—muddy farm paths paved, quarries buzzing—then city upgrades like Atlantic City’s reservoir and Brooklyn Navy Yard’s overhaul. Airports rise in Newark and Chicago, slums fall, and white-collar jobs shine: traffic surveys, sewing rooms, and nurses aiding babies. Reel 3 strums with WPA orchestras and theater, from Negro choirs to West Point murals. Disaster strikes in Reel 4—floods met with sandbags and Harry Hopkins’ gaze—while Reel 5 crafts parks, zoos, and historic gems like New Salem. A rousing relic for history buffs, labor enthusiasts, and Americana fans, it’s a testament to work’s transformative power.