Southwest Federal Center in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Unemployment Compensation
1940
— granite —
Emma Lou Davis
(b. 1905, Indianapolis, Indiana - d. 1988, San Diego, California)
In the wake of the Great Depression, one of the chief causes of insecurity was the threat of unemployment. To address this social concern, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the U.S. Congress created the Social Security Act in 1935. Unemployment Compensation was commissioned shortly thereafter to stand above the entrance to this building—the intended headquarters of the newly formed Social Security Administration—and speak to its work. The bas relief carving depicts an employed man (signified by a collared shirt, shoes, and lunch pail) extending a helping hand to a demoralized unemployed man. The superimposed profile of a man surrounds them and suggests the embrace of the state and the assistance offered by the Social Security Administration.
Emma Lou Davis was a graduate of Vassar College and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and she was active as an artist for more than thirty years. Davis was one of few women employed to create art for federal buildings during the New Deal era. She later changed careers and in 1965 earned her Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of California, Los Angeles. As a curator at the San Diego Museum of Man, she established the Great Basin Foundation and was integral to bringing scientific rigor to the field of Paleoindian archaeology in California.
Erected by Fine Arts Collection, U.S. General Services Administration.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Arts, Letters, Music • Charity & Public Work • Education • Government & Politics • Women. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #32 Franklin D. Roosevelt series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 38° 53.208′ N, 77° 1.04′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Southwest Federal Center. Marker is on 4th Street Southwest south of Independence Avenue Southwest, on the right when traveling north. The marker can be found on the west side of the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 330 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington DC 20547, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Family Group (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Growth of Social Security (about 300 feet away); Milford School Bell (about 400 feet away); Eastern Meadow (about 400 feet away); Nora Naranjo-Morse (about 400 feet away); Railroad Employment (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Nora Naranjo-Morse (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.
Additional commentary.
1. About the Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building
The Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building currently houses the Voice of America, a broadcaster that is an executive agency of the United States government.
— Submitted July 2, 2023.
Additional keywords. Unemployment Compensation
Credits. This page was last revised on July 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2023. This page has been viewed 63 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 2, 2023.