On April 14, 1939, John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath” was published. The book told the story of the Joad family, Dust Bowl migrants who travel to California during the Great Depression. It highlighted unemployment, poverty, and exploitation of workers in agriculture. The novel drew both praise for its social conscience and criticism from those who thought it was too harsh on employers. It quickly became a bestseller and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. The work remains a powerful depiction of hardship and resilience in American history.
