Art/Literature in the 1920s Creativity and literary contributions were rampant in the 1920s, with many representing the societal changes in their works.

Print Media With more leisure time, and greater access to education, more people started to read during the 1920s. Reading books, magazines, and even other circulations became popular as a pastime. At the same time, more creative thinkers entered the scene to create to meets the demands.

A Lost Generation Some more established authors in the 1920s did not like the changes they saw in the United States. Most importantly, they did not like the way Americans had become so materialistic. These authors not only began to write about their views, but they also moved out of the United States, claiming themselves to be ex-patriots. Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway published works on the excessiveness of America as they settled in Europe away from the extremes.

Harlem Renaissance Along with musical contributions from the Harlem creators, artists and authors also arose to share their interpretations of African-American life. Works by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Claude McKay shared the hardships and injustices faced by African-Americans, while art pieces represented their lives in these times.

Expression Appreciated Art and literature in the 1920s was deliberately a break from tradition. The writers and artists attempted to attack the injustices of society and to express the new ideas of the rapidly changing generation. With vivid stories or vivid portraits, the creators of the 1920s filled the pages of newly published magazines and filled the walls of homes and museums.