Prohibition, Crime and Civil Rights Chapter 20 Sec 3
The Battle of Evil
4 Key Topics Prohibition Rise of Organized Crime Race Issues and the rebirth of the KKK
Prohibition Jan 16, 1920: The 18th amendment is passed creating Prohibition. While it was law many ignored it, especially in the cities. Kansas obeys the law at 95%, New York 5%
Prohibition Even though Prohibition passed many people still wanted to drink. This created the market for someone to sell alcohol illegally.
Organized Crime Is Born Bootlegging became popular where people made and sold alcohol illegally. Speakeasies (illegal bars) began to pop up in the cities. Bootleggers began to work together and explore other businesses including: gambling, prostitution and racketeering. These men paid off police and local officials while charging businesses “protection” money.
Mafia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skxqbkpLE90
American Icon: Al Capone From Chicago Al Capone “Scarface” became the most powerful man in organized crime. After getting his start in New York he murdered his way to the top of Chicago organized crime. Making over $60 million a year he could bribe any official that would stand in his way. .
Revival of the Ku Klux Klan African Americans migrated to northern cities and northern whites grew upset. Tension grew and racial violence both ways broke out in the summer of 1919. This became known as the Red Summer.
Red Summer African Americans moved to northern cities and northern whites grew upset. Tension grew and racial violence both ways broke out in the summer of 1919. This became known as the Red Summer.
Red Summer Riots Source: Wikipedia
The Birth of a Nation This silent movie glorified the old KKK and made black men out to be out to get white women. The movie was successful and even watched in the white house. It was used as a recruiting tool for the KKK.
Ku Klux Klan Reborn The Klan jumped from 10,000 to 4 million led by their Grand Wizard. This time the KKK targeted whites and blacks that they feel were “un-American”. This included: Catholics, immigrants and the Jewish. The KKK revival was short lived as their methods outraged most Americans and they cracked down on the KKK.
Warning graphic pictures ahead
Religion In the 1920’s people began to question religion. Debate begins between fundamentals (people who believe in the Bible vs. those that question religion. The big issue became: Should evolution be taught in public schools? In Tennessee they ban teaching evolution but one science teacher John T. Scopes did so anyway. He was arrested and began the Scopes trial.
Scopes Trial Two of the countries best lawyers fought in this trial. William Jennings Bryan (Fundamentalist) Clarence Darrow (Freedom of Speech defender) The media swarmed the case and made it the first trial covered on American radio.
Scopes Trial Scopes is found guilty and fined $100 Darrow called Bryan up as a Bible expert and harshly interrogated him on passages getting him to admit he did not believe everything literally. Bryan died days after the trial and became a martyr for the fundamentalists.
American Icon: Billy Sunday Former baseball player turned fundamentalist preacher. Became world famous as an opponent of alcohol and supporter of prohibition.