During the Great Depression, millions of unemployed men became “hobos,” homeless vagrants who wandered in search of work. Once-proud men, the hobos rode the rails or hitchhiked their way across America, in search of jobs and a better life.
What makes you a hobo?
Tramps, as defined by the hobos, are people who travel, but prefer not to work, and bums neither travel nor work. Although inextricably linked with the trains, some hobos traveled by car, others on foot. They traveled to work and worked to travel — the lifestyle of a hobo.
What were hobos looking for?
Riding the Rails presents the poignant and little-known story of teen hobos during the 1930s, a time of desperation and bitter hardship. These young itinerant Americans were all searching for a better life; what they found was a mixture of freedom, camaraderie, misery, and loneliness.
Who were hobos during the Great Depression?
Hobos were honest, hardworking young people who would do odd jobs – rake leaves, paint barns and houses, chop wood, pick fruit and so forth in exchange for a good meal and a safe place to sleep.
Why do some people become homeless?
We know from talking with our Team Members and hearing their stories that there are many reasons people can become homeless: a traumatic event, loss of a job, the inability to pay for needed health-care, or a criminal background got in the way of finding a job.
Why did some men become hobos?
After the Civil War, many headed west in search of work, carrying a hoe with them. “Hoe boys” became “hobos.” Hobos were not "bums" or "tramps"; they were men seeking work wherever they could find it. They lived out of doors in camps known as "jungles".
What are some hobo signs?
Hobo signs and symbols
- A cross — “angel food” (food served to hobos after a sermon).
- A triangle with hands — the homeowner has a gun.
- A horizontal zigzag — a barking dog.
- A square missing its top line — safe to camp in that spot.
- A top hat and a triangle — wealth.
- A spearhead — a warning to defend yourself.
Does hobo mean anything?
noun. ho·bo. ˈhō-bō plural hoboes also hobos. : a homeless and usually penniless wanderer : tramp.
Why did so many people become hobos?
How did some people become hoboes? During the Great Depression, many unemployed men became "hobos," roaming the streets in search of work. The hobos, who were once proud men, hitchhiked or rode trains throughout America in search of jobs and a better life.
Why did so many people become hoboes during the 1930s?
The great depression of the 1930s held hardships for most American families. Distraught young and older men were forced to leave home in search of a job or something to eat. Often they rode the trains, jumping on and off (from the coal or cattle cars) wherever life might be better.
What kind of people became hobos?
How many men become hobos during the Great Depression?
two million menIt's estimated that more than two million men and women became traveling hobos. Many of these were teens who felt they had become a burden on their families and left home in search of work. Riding the rails—illegally hopping on freight trains—became a common, yet dangerous way to travel.
What is silent homelessness?
Hidden HomelessnessIndividuals who live with others temporarily without a permanent home are considered “hidden homeless,” as it is often most unnoticed. Since they lack access to housing support resources and cannot be identified, they are 'hidden' from national statistics on homelessness.
Who is most affected by homelessness?
Young Black people have an 83% higher risk of becoming homeless than their white counterparts. Young Hispanic people have a 33% greater chance of experiencing homelessness than their white counterparts. LGBTQ youths are more than twice as likely to become homeless than other young people.
Can a hobo be a woman?
Obviously, the type of work available for women on the road differed significantly from that of men. Female hobos have been noted to cross dress and to pass in order to receive employment (and higher wages) in hard labor, the work on which most male hobos relied (Cresswell 2001).
How many men became hobos?
It's estimated that more than two million men and women became traveling hobos. Many of these were teens who felt they had become a burden on their families and left home in search of work. Riding the rails—illegally hopping on freight trains—became a common, yet dangerous way to travel.
What is a hobo mark?
Popularized in the late 1800s and early 1900s, hobo code supposedly consisted of distinctive symbols to communicate vital information. They alerted other transient workers to trouble, such as an aggressive dog or hostile police force, but could also point the way to clean water or a hot meal.
Who is the most famous hobo?
Leon Ray Livingston1. is arguably the most famous hobo in the United States. His given name is Leon Ray Livingston and he was born in 1872 and he was a lifelong wanderer. He was riding the rails, and stowing away on ships starting at the age of 11 and then he began to write about his journeys.
What is the difference between a hobo and a homeless person?
A homeless person in a broader sense could be anyone who's been dispossed of a residence by any circumstance, while hobo can be viewed as a homeless person who's remained homeless primarliy because of personal reasons (i.e. drug use, lack of education, personal choice).
What can I say instead of hobo?
Synonyms of hobo
- beggar.
- tramp.
- bum.
- vagabond.
- vagrant.
- transient.
- swaggie.
- swagman.
Why do so many people go homeless?
Losing income is the No. 1 reason Californians end up homeless – and the vast majority of them say a subsidy of as little as $300 a month could have kept them off the streets. That's according to a new study out of UC San Francisco that provides the most comprehensive look yet at California's homeless crisis.