Harry Hopkins

Hopkins rose to prominence during the Great Depression as one of President Roosevelt's closest advisors. During his first Hundred Days, Roosevelt signed the Federal Emergency Relief Administration into existence and named this Grinnell College graduate as its chief officer. Hopkins acted in many capacities--as director of the Civil Works Administration from 1933-1934, the Federal Surplus Relief Administration and the Works Progress Administration from 1935-1938. At all times, Hopkins favored opportunities to produce jobs rather than provide direct financial relief. Hopkins had asked his former schoolmate Hallie Flanagan to take charge of the Federal Theatre Project, but could not defend the project before the Dies Committee because he feared Congress would eliminate funding for the WPA. Time and again, Hopkins endured criticisms for overspending and boondoggling. Roosevelt reinstalled him instead as Secretary of Commerce from 1938 to 1940. Until his death in 1946, Hopkins acted as an unofficial advisor on foreign affairs who attended many of the European wartime conferences like the Teheran Conference of 1943.