Roaring Twenties Facts

The Roaring Twenties * The flapper, a sign of the 1920's, characterized the changes that were occurring in the decade. Flappers were young ladies, usually dressed in different styles. Some were also known to be cigarette-smokers and cosmetics-wearers * The Prohibition Act was in effect but places such as “speakeasies” were ways to get around this new act. People would purchase illegal alcohol * The 18th Amendment made the sale, distribution, and consumption of alcohol illegal * Alcohol was obtained by smuggling it in from Mexico, Canada, and the West Indies. This trade, known as bootlegging, became quite profitable * Liquor was illegally sold in speakeasies which were backroom bars that sold alcohol behind closed doors * The Valentine's Day Massacre, which took place on February 14, 1929, was one of the many outcomes of organized crime during the 1920's * Battles between gangs over territories for alcohol sales brought violence and gunfire to the streets in NYC * During the roaring twenties more people lived in urban centers than in the countryside * Many streets in New York City became important centers of life, Broadway became entertainment, Madison Ave. became sales and advertisements, and Wall Street became the center for money * Park and 5th Avenues became well-known for harboring the rich and famous tycoons of NYC * Harlem became the capital of jazz and many white people took interest in African-American-inspired music * Famous artists of jazz during this time were Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Edward Kennedy Ellington * The Cotton Club was a very popular nightclub where different cultures converged * The “Harlem Renaissance” term was originated from the strong political, social, and cultural influences Harlem had on the lives of people * “The New Negro” came out of the Harlem Renaissance who was able to establish a life and name for themselves and to contribute to American culture * The