Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2021/Spring/105i/Section 24/Beulah Parsons Davis

Overview
Beulah Parsons Davis was a white woman who lived during the Great Depression. She was a fortune teller that lived in Durham, North Carolina. Davis was interviewed by the Federal Writers' Project on June 5, 1939.

Early Life:
Davis’ place and date of birth are unknown. She grew up on her parent's dewberry farm and started school at age five in a small village where she only went to school for around three months a year. Whether she finished school or not is unknown. Davis married a boy from her school. His name is unknown. Davis had a number of miscarriages but eventually she gave birth to two children, a girl and a boy. Their names are also unknown. Davis and her husband opened a general store and farmed to provide income. Davis never elaborated in her Federal Writers Project interview about where she lived during this time. The interview was taken in Durham, NC but it was after this period in Davis’ life.

Marriage:
Around the time that Davis had her son, her husband began cheating on her with another woman. After Davis told him that she would not allow it, he beat her. In her interview Davis said, “What I got for such concern can plainly be seen all over my body to this day.” According to Davis she only stayed with him to provide a home for her children. Davis finally left her husband when she discovered that he had been raping and sexually abusing their daughter. Davis was granted a divorce and never saw her husband again.

Later Life:
Davis’ career as a fortune-teller began after she left her husband. In her interview she claimed she always had a "hunch" about things so people began coming and paying her for advice. This income allowed her to provide the basic necessities for her and her children. During life after her divorce, she fell in love with a married man. She said, “I love him very much, still I do not trust him, yet I am not jealous of any woman whom he might contact.” Davis and her children attended church and Sunday school as often as possible. Davis said she never liked to miss a service. In her interview Davis spoke about her poor financial situation but said her faith in God allowed her not to worry. She said "My Bible doesn't tell me that I shall ever get what I want, but it does promise me what I need."

Domestic Abuse During The Great Depression
When the Great Depression started in 1929, it caused many families to break apart. An article released by the University of Washington State said, “Sudden poverty produces psychological damage. Families broke apart under the strain." According to Historian Harvey Green, domestic violence and child abuse increased during the Great Depression in part by arguments surrounding finances, food and other basic needs that could no longer be afforded. In a study done by Robert Schoen and Vladimir Canudas-Romo it was found that divorces were accelerated during the Great Depression. Domestic violence acts also multiplied during the Great Depression, which could have contributed to the increased divorce rate as well. In a study done by Susan Lagdon, Cherie Armour, and Maurice Stringer it was found that many women experience mental health problems as an affect of domestic violence. With domestic violence rates and divorce rates rising during the Great Depression, it left many women unable to work and provide for their families.

Graduation Rates During The Great Depression
When the Great Depression hit in 1929 many schools were forced to make budget cuts, reduce teachers salaries, and some even had to shut down. By 1934, around 20,000 schools had closed and many schools only went for three to six months. This caused over crowded schools with less resources and teachers who struggled to successfully teach malnourished students who were dealing with a tough home life. Despite the worsening conditions, the number of children attending and graduating from schools rose. With no jobs available, many children turned to school as a way to avoid entering the workforce. In some cases teachers and schools even supplied meals, taking stress off of parents to provide lunch for their kids. From 1929 to 1930, during the beginning of the Great Depression the high school graduation rate of students was 29%. By 1941, towards the end of the Great Depression, that number had rose to 51.2%. While the Great Depression created challenges for educators and schools, it led to reform like an increased school budget and a more progressive education curriculum.