The Depression, Roosevelt and the New Deal

This year’s conference at Liverpool’s Maritime Museum welcomed 120 students and teachers from across the North West. Jacqui Bentley, Education Officer from the National Museums of Liverpool, introduced the speakers to the enthusiastic audience.

This year’s speakers included Frank Lennon of Liverpool Hope University, whose lecture dealt with President Hoover and The Depression, Dr. Jenel Virden of the University of Hull, who evaluated the impact of the New Deal, Dr. Niall Palmer of Brunel University who discussed Roosevelt, Congress and the Supreme Court. This was followed by the multi-talented Dr. Will Kaufman of the University of Central Lancashire, who assessed the effect of the Depression and the music of Woody Guthrie - also giving a live performance on the guitar, banjo and fiddle of not only Guthrie’s music, but others of that period.

The lectures were followed by a Question and Answer session with the panel of speakers.

Kathryn Cooper, Head of History at Loreto College, Manchester, commented “Yet again the Centre provided a conference with excellent speakers, who not only inspired the students, but presented lectures that will undoubtedly assist them in the successful completion of their studies. Another excellent day.”

Ian Ralston of the American Studies Resource Centre noted, “The success of any conference depends on meeting the needs of teachers and students and finding academics who can really get the message over. Without a doubt the success of the conference was due to those factors; an attentive audience, four superb speakers and a perfect setting at the Maritime Museum”.

Special thanks to organisers Ian Ralston of the ASRC, Jacqui Bentley of the NML and to the four speakers.  Thanks also to the British Association for American Studies (BAAS) and the Public Affairs Office of the U.S. Embassy in London for their assistance. 

The next conference should take place at the start of the next academic year, details can be found in due course at our website www.americansc.org.uk

Helen Tamburro