The Jazz Age (1920-1929) Unit 9

Lecture I: A Clash of Values Return of Nativism Sacco-Vanzetti Case (1921) Highlighted Americans intolerance toward immigrants and people with different political ideas. Return of the Ku Klux Klan New KKK emerged after WWI Targeted “un-American ideas” Catholics, Jews, immigrants were new targets Controlling Immigration Emergency Quota Act (1921)-only 3% of the total number of foreign born people of a nationality already in the U.S. could be admitted in a single year National Origins Act (1924)-only 2% allowed into the U.S. and limited to 150,000 immigrants per year Discriminatory by allowing more immigrants from Northwestern Europe

B. The Fundamentalist Movement 1. Christian Fundamentalists Believed in the literal interpretation of the bible Felt threatened by the modernity of the 1920s Held tight to traditional religious and social beliefs 2. Scopes “Monkey” Trial John Scopes put on trial for teaching evolutionary theory to his biology students Represented the clash between new vs. old ideas and creation vs. evolution Clarence Darrow (Scopes) vs. William Jennings Bryan (Christian Fund)

1. Greenich Village and the South Side C. Art and Literature 1. Greenich Village and the South Side Bohemian neighborhoods in NYC and Chicago Center of art, literature and intellectualism 2. Modern Art in the 1920s Bold and colorful Urban and rural landscapes Cubism and realism Popular themes included isolationism and disenchantment

Edward Hopper (Realism)

John Marin (Urban Landscapes)

Charles Scheeler (Cubism)

Writers focused on common themes Literature in the 1920s Writers focused on common themes Disillusionment after WWI (Lost Generation) Ernest Hemingway For Who the Bell Tolls and A Farewell to Arms Superficial attitudes and materialism F.Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise Criticisms of small town traditional values Sinclair Lewis Babbit and Main Street

D. Popular Culture 1. Sports 2. Radio and Movies Americans had more $ and time to enjoy entertainment and sports 1. Sports Baseball, boxing and golf were popular Radio made athletes worldwide celebrities 2. Radio and Movies Helped unify the nation with a common culture by spreading new ideas and attitudes First talkie - The Jazz Singer (1927) First talkie cartoon – Steamboat Willie (1928)

E. African Americans and The Harlem Renaissance Outpouring of African American art and literature in the 1920s Writers Themes focused on African American’s pride as a people, slavery and discrimination, and the Jazz Age Popular writers included Claude McKay, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston Jazz Improvisational style of music influenced by Dixieland and ragtime music popular in New Orleans Introduced by Louis Armstrong in Chicago Night Clubs Famous Jazz musicians included Duke Ellington and Bessie Smith

F. African American Politics 1. Black Votes in the North Great Migration increased political power of African- Americans in the North Voted Republican and elected African Americans to federal offices 2. NAACP Fights Lynching Lobbied government officials and filed court cases to get an anti-lynching legislation passed 3. Black Nationalism Movement of African Americans who advocated separation and independence from white society Marcus Garvey founded the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) to promote Black pride and unity Back to Africa Movement-Garvey’s failed attempt at creating an African American settlement in Liberia, Africa