California's 1934 EPIC Campaign for Governor - Part One

Credit Note: From the website http://lyngoldfarbproductions.com/abo... "(Lyn Goldfarb) had the opportunity to work on two of the PBS documentary series that have defined the genre of social history documentaries. (She) worked as a Producer, Director and Writer on Henry Hampton's team on The Great Depression, and for KCET on The Great War. Both series won major television awards."

In 1934, author Upton Sinclair ran for governor in the EPIC campaign (End Poverty in California). He received the Democratic nomination as this video shows but was ultimately defeated. A major campaign to defeat Sinclair was set in motion by panicked business interests and traditional Democrats who resented the takeover of their party. However, Sinclair's campaign changed California politics, making the Democrats the majority party. The EPIC agenda consisted of a state-takeover of depression-idled businesses and farms, to be financed by a vague currency scheme. The businesses were to be converted to nonprofit cooperatives. In 1938, one of the EPIC Democrats elected to the Legislature became governor for one term: Culbert Olson. The EPIC campaign can be seen as one of the various pensionite and other social movements spawned by the Great Depression in California. This is Part One. (Sam Yorty who is interviewed in this clip was later mayor of Los Angeles.)

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