page_title: American Youth Congress
hierarchical_section_title: American Youth Congress
caption_attribution_description: English: Representatives of American Youth Congress testify at Dies hearing. Washington, D.C., Nov. 30, 1939. Three members of the American Youth Congress, left to right: Jack R. McMichael, Chairman of the Congress; William W. Hinckley, former Chairman; and Joseph Cadden, Executive Secretary, testified before the Dies Committee that their organization had not been 'penetrated by communists.' Hinckley revealed that his organization was conducting a nationwide campaign to petition Speaker Bankhead to discontinue the Dies Committee. Rep. Joe Starnes, acting Chairman of the Dies Subcommittee, told the witnesses that neither he nor his committee cared what the witnesses thought of the committee--that he only wanted to hear statements founded on fact
context_page_description: The American Youth Congress was an early youth voice organization composed of youth from all across the country to discuss the problems facing youth as a whole in the 1930s. It met several years in a row - one year it notably met on the lawn of the White House. The delegates are known to have caused a disturbance when they attempted to access the United States Congress. They focused on the draft, which was taking youths at age 18 off to war. At the time in the United States one was not legally an adult in any way until the age of 21. They also focused on the economic exploitation of youth.
  The formation of the AYC is also widely seen as a precursor to the establishment of the National Youth Administration. Both the AYC and the NYA are notable for the support which First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt lent to them.
context_section_description: The American Youth Congress (AYC) was an early youth voice organization composed of youth from all across the country to discuss the problems facing youth as a whole in the 1930s.  It met several years in a row - one year it notably met on the lawn of the White House. The delegates are known to have caused a disturbance when they attempted to access the United States Congress.  They focused on the draft, which was taking youths at age 18 off to war.  At the time in the United States one was not legally an adult in any way until the age of 21. They also focused on the economic exploitation of youth.
  The formation of the AYC is also widely seen as a precursor to the establishment of the National Youth Administration. Both the AYC and the NYA are notable for the support which First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt lent to them.
caption: American Youth Congress leaders Jack R. McMichael, William W. Hinckley and Joseph Cadden before the Dies Committee, 1939.
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