The Jazz AgeThe Jazz Age

Q: How new were the issues Q: How new were the issues confronting Americans in the confronting Americans in the

1920s?1920s?

I. Intro: The New Era of I. Intro: The New Era of the 1920sthe 1920s

Consumerism flourished b/c of advertising, Consumerism flourished b/c of advertising, credit, & economic growth (compare 1990s)credit, & economic growth (compare 1990s)

Gov. fostered business growth Gov. fostered business growth Coolidge: “The chief business of the American Coolidge: “The chief business of the American

people is business.”people is business.” Mass entertainment grew further as big Mass entertainment grew further as big

business, technology (radio), and middle business, technology (radio), and middle class expandedclass expanded

Accelerated pop shifts (blacks, suburbs)Accelerated pop shifts (blacks, suburbs) Some opposed modern changes Some opposed modern changes

(reactionary)(reactionary) Decade ended w/ economic collapseDecade ended w/ economic collapse

II. EconomyII. EconomyA. The BoomA. The Boom

Cost of living stable, earnings increasedCost of living stable, earnings increased Productivity gains: moving assembly line Productivity gains: moving assembly line

(1914), electrification (1929, electricity in 2/3 (1914), electrification (1929, electricity in 2/3 of all homes)of all homes)

Car industry: Car industry: 1900: 4,000 cars/year1900: 4,000 cars/year 1929: 4.8 million/year1929: 4.8 million/year 1car/5 people (1/43 in UK) 1car/5 people (1/43 in UK)

As RxR: fuels other segments (steel, glass, oil, As RxR: fuels other segments (steel, glass, oil, construction), creates new biz (fast food, gas construction), creates new biz (fast food, gas stations), changes patterns (suburbs, roads)stations), changes patterns (suburbs, roads)

Car symbol of social equalityCar symbol of social equality

B. BustB. Bust 1) Small business: corporate expansion 1) Small business: corporate expansion

(gov’t support/acquiescence)(gov’t support/acquiescence) crushed crushed 1918: 29,000 chain stores; 1929: 160,000 1918: 29,000 chain stores; 1929: 160,000

(i.e. WalMart)(i.e. WalMart) 2) Farmers: WWI2) Farmers: WWI produce for Europe produce for Europe

overproductionoverproduction price crash (Dust Bowl) price crash (Dust Bowl) 3) Workers: union decline (WWI), wages 3) Workers: union decline (WWI), wages

not keeping pacenot keeping pace 1929 (pre-Crash): $2500/yr family 4 decent 1929 (pre-Crash): $2500/yr family 4 decent

livingliving 2/3 tax paying Americans made less than 2/3 tax paying Americans made less than

$1500$1500

III. SocietyIII. SocietyA. “Bound for the Promised Land”: A. “Bound for the Promised Land”:

Great MigrationGreat Migration Blacks pulled North by WWI jobs Blacks pulled North by WWI jobs

($48/day in factories vs. $2/day; paid ($48/day in factories vs. $2/day; paid cash vs. sharecropping), rights (blacks cash vs. sharecropping), rights (blacks can vote de facto + de jure), and can vote de facto + de jure), and power (substantial voting blocs in power (substantial voting blocs in citiescities limited by imp. patronage) limited by imp. patronage)

1.5 million left South, 1920s1.5 million left South, 1920s

Harlem Renaissance (NYC): explosion Harlem Renaissance (NYC): explosion artistic expression [Langston Hughes, artistic expression [Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson (writer + James Weldon Johnson (writer + NAACP), Alain Locke (NAACP), Alain Locke (The New NegroThe New Negro)])]

Continued discrimination/violenceContinued discrimination/violence Marcus Garvey (Universal Negro Marcus Garvey (Universal Negro Improvement Assoc.) + call for black Improvement Assoc.) + call for black independence/separationindependence/separation Black Star Line: return blacks to Black Star Line: return blacks to

“motherland” of Africa“motherland” of Africa

B. Women WorkingB. Women Working Number in workforce continued to increase Number in workforce continued to increase

post-WWIpost-WWI 10.8 million working women (1930) 10.8 million working women (1930) Job segregation (clerical); pay discriminationJob segregation (clerical); pay discrimination Most female workers singleMost female workers single 3.1 million wives worked to help w/ 3.1 million wives worked to help w/

consumptionconsumption 1920: 23% female workers; 1930: 29%1920: 23% female workers; 1930: 29%

Many African, Japanese, & Mexican Many African, Japanese, & Mexican American wives worked to help their families American wives worked to help their families survive survive Worked as domestics or rural laborersWorked as domestics or rural laborers

C. SuburbanizationC. Suburbanization

Prosperity & cars fueled suburban expansion Prosperity & cars fueled suburban expansion (can + want)(can + want)

1930 almost 1 out of 6 in suburbs; growing 2x 1930 almost 1 out of 6 in suburbs; growing 2x speed citiesspeed cities

Middle & upper classes fled urban problems Middle & upper classes fled urban problems (white flight)(white flight) Left behind worse off: jobs, capital, talent goneLeft behind worse off: jobs, capital, talent gone

gov’t turns back on center citiesgov’t turns back on center cities Excluded blacks, Jews, Catholics, Hispanics Excluded blacks, Jews, Catholics, Hispanics

(restrictive covenants)(restrictive covenants) Cities & suburbs = centers of consumer cultureCities & suburbs = centers of consumer culture

Shopping centers, fast foodShopping centers, fast food

D. Children and The D. Children and The ElderlyElderly

Decrease # children: 1870-80 over half Am Decrease # children: 1870-80 over half Am women 5+; 1920s 20% 5+women 5+; 1920s 20% 5+ more time + more time + resources for childrenresources for children

Better nutrition/ sanitation increased life Better nutrition/ sanitation increased life expectancy for most, but expectancy for most, but notnot all people all people 60 years by 1930 from 54 years in 192060 years by 1930 from 54 years in 1920

More people living past age 60 and forced More people living past age 60 and forced retirements increased poverty among elderlyretirements increased poverty among elderly

US leaders rejected European-style pensions as US leaders rejected European-style pensions as socialisticsocialistic

Many states in 1920s adopted pensions & Many states in 1920s adopted pensions & retirement homes to reduce elderly povertyretirement homes to reduce elderly poverty

IV. CultureIV. CultureA. Youth Culture: Sex, Drugs, JazzA. Youth Culture: Sex, Drugs, Jazz

RadiosRadios homogenization culture homogenization culture Advertising: selling image, creates insecurity + fear Advertising: selling image, creates insecurity + fear

(“A woman is only as old as her complexion”)(“A woman is only as old as her complexion”) culture of consumption (rejection thrift + work; buy culture of consumption (rejection thrift + work; buy on credit)on credit)

Cars: suburbs, end rural isolation, youthful freedomCars: suburbs, end rural isolation, youthful freedom Movies: explosion # films + viewers; no Movies: explosion # films + viewers; no

censorshipcensorship changing attitudes sex changing attitudes sex Women’s roles: voting (more right than actually), Women’s roles: voting (more right than actually),

clothingclothing = Youth culture: generational chasm: youth = Youth culture: generational chasm: youth

embrace change, elders fearembrace change, elders fear parents irrelevant as parents irrelevant as modelmodel

DatingDating

Victorian expectation marriage brokenVictorian expectation marriage broken 1910s: minority engaged premarital sex1910s: minority engaged premarital sex 1920s: majority in 19301920s: majority in 1930 Limits sexual rev.: limited to eventual Limits sexual rev.: limited to eventual

husband or one otherhusband or one other 1) spread of birth control, 2) 1) spread of birth control, 2)

economic/cultural (industrialeconomic/cultural (industrial consumer), 3) Sigmund Freudconsumer), 3) Sigmund Freud

Drugs and Rock and RollDrugs and Rock and Roll

Smoking: tobacco companies begin to Smoking: tobacco companies begin to target women (weight control)target women (weight control)

Drinking: despite (because of?) Drinking: despite (because of?) Prohibition: majority college students Prohibition: majority college students “smart” thing to do“smart” thing to do

Jazz: embrace black music (sexuality, Jazz: embrace black music (sexuality, drugs): “primitive” rhythms appealed to drugs): “primitive” rhythms appealed to instincts mid class whites trying to instincts mid class whites trying to controlcontrol Jazz + forms of dancing banned from schoolsJazz + forms of dancing banned from schools

B. Images of FemininityB. Images of Femininity ““Flappers” remade image of femininityFlappers” remade image of femininity Stressed personal freedom & sexualityStressed personal freedom & sexuality

Few actually became flappersFew actually became flappers Dress styles changed: 19.5 yards of cloth to 7Dress styles changed: 19.5 yards of cloth to 7 Some women asserted independence/ Some women asserted independence/

equality: Equal Rights Amendment (“Men and equality: Equal Rights Amendment (“Men and women shall have equal rights throughout the women shall have equal rights throughout the United States and every place subject to its United States and every place subject to its jurisdiction.”); run for office and form political jurisdiction.”); run for office and form political organizations (League of Women Voters)organizations (League of Women Voters) 1919thth did not dramatically change women’s did not dramatically change women’s

voting habitsvoting habits

C. The Gay ’20sC. The Gay ’20s Homosexual culture more Homosexual culture more

overt in some cities overt in some cities (Greenwich Village, NYC); (Greenwich Village, NYC); greater freedom in greater freedom in speakeasiesspeakeasies illicit behaviors illicit behaviors overlap (provide overlap (provide entertainment)entertainment) degree degree protection; still discriminationprotection; still discrimination

No sharp line: So long as man No sharp line: So long as man maintained “male” role in sex maintained “male” role in sex and did not take on the and did not take on the “female” role, he could cross “female” role, he could cross back and forthback and forth ““On the down low”On the down low”