River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
This article investigates media coverage of 19th and early 20th century river activism and its effect on federal policy to control the Mississippi River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “levees-only” policy—which joined disparate navigation and flood control interests—is largely blamed for the Gre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cogitatio
2018-02-01
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| Series: | Media and Communication |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/1179 |
| _version_ | 1818011194049429504 |
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| author | Ned Randolph |
| author_facet | Ned Randolph |
| author_sort | Ned Randolph |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article investigates media coverage of 19th and early 20th century river activism and its effect on federal policy to control the Mississippi River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “levees-only” policy—which joined disparate navigation and flood control interests—is largely blamed for the Great Flood of 1927, called the largest peacetime disaster in American history. River activists organized annual conventions, and later, professional lobbies organized media campaigns up and down the Mississippi River to sway public opinion and pressure Congress to fund flood control and river navigation projects. Annual river conventions drew thousands of delegates such as plantation owners, shippers, bankers, chambers of commerce, governors, congressmen, mayors and cabinet members with interests on the Mississippi River. Public pressure on Congress successfully captured millions of federal dollars to protect property, drain swamps for development, subsidize local levee districts and influence river policy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:05:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d6657a57abae4d46afe7100e957f0ee5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2183-2439 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:05:06Z |
| publishDate | 2018-02-01 |
| publisher | Cogitatio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Media and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-d6657a57abae4d46afe7100e957f0ee52022-12-22T02:08:35ZengCogitatioMedia and Communication2183-24392018-02-0161435110.17645/mac.v6i1.1179653River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927Ned Randolph0Department of Communication, University of California San Diego, USAThis article investigates media coverage of 19th and early 20th century river activism and its effect on federal policy to control the Mississippi River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “levees-only” policy—which joined disparate navigation and flood control interests—is largely blamed for the Great Flood of 1927, called the largest peacetime disaster in American history. River activists organized annual conventions, and later, professional lobbies organized media campaigns up and down the Mississippi River to sway public opinion and pressure Congress to fund flood control and river navigation projects. Annual river conventions drew thousands of delegates such as plantation owners, shippers, bankers, chambers of commerce, governors, congressmen, mayors and cabinet members with interests on the Mississippi River. Public pressure on Congress successfully captured millions of federal dollars to protect property, drain swamps for development, subsidize local levee districts and influence river policy.https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/1179activismcommercedemocracyfloodsleveesmediamedia historyMississippi Riverriver conventions |
| spellingShingle | Ned Randolph River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 Media and Communication activism commerce democracy floods levees media media history Mississippi River river conventions |
| title | River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 |
| title_full | River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 |
| title_fullStr | River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 |
| title_full_unstemmed | River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 |
| title_short | River Activism, “Levees-Only” and the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 |
| title_sort | river activism levees only and the great mississippi flood of 1927 |
| topic | activism commerce democracy floods levees media media history Mississippi River river conventions |
| url | https://www.cogitatiopress.com/mediaandcommunication/article/view/1179 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nedrandolph riveractivismleveesonlyandthegreatmississippifloodof1927 |