[3] He emphasized the need to strengthen community efforts with funding and professionally trained social workers, a relatively new profession that developed in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Oxley was a strong advocate for unemployment assistance, despite North Carolina's reluctance to extend such relief to the black community.
He supported the education of black social workers and helped them find positions in state and local governments.
[2] (Branch, 1992) By 1934, when Oxley left the state for federal service, African-American social workers were in public agencies in 40 counties.
[5] In 1934, Oxley was appointed to the US Department of Labor, one of 45 prominent black community leaders selected by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration for positions in the federal government in Washington, DC.
While leading efforts in state and federal government to change approaches to welfare, he published articles and reports about issues in the black community.