20.3: AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE THE ROARING TWENTIES 20.1: A CLASH OF VALUES 20.2: CULTURAL INNOVATION 20.3: AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE

Why It Matters The 1920s left permanent legacies to American culture. The 1920s was an era of rapid change and clashing values. Many Americans believed society was losing its traditional values, and they took action to preserve these values. Other Americans embraced new values associated with a freer lifestyle and the pursuit of individual goals. Writers and artists pursued distinctively American themes, and the Harlem Renaissance gave African Americans new pride. The 1920s left permanent legacies to American culture. National celebrities in sports and film emerged. Jazz music became part of American culture. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway wrote classics of American literature.

NATIVISM RESURGES 1920s: racism & nativism increase Immigrants threat to the status quo of traditional American values Immigrants competing with demobilized men/women for work during time of high unemployment & increased cost of living Eugenics  inferior people shouldn’t reproduce (strict immigration control) EX: Sacco & Vanzetti – 2 immigrants accused of murder/theft & executed (ethnic prejudice) During the early 1920s, an economic recession, an influx of immigrants, and racial and cultural tensions led to an atmosphere of disillusionment and intolerance. Many Americans saw immigrants as a threat to the status quo of traditional American values. Immigrants and demobilized military men and women competed for the same jobs during a time of high unemployment and an increased cost of living. In the 1920s, racism and nativism increased Immigrants and demobilized military men and women competed for the same jobs during a time of high unemployment and an increased cost of living.  Ethnic prejudice was the basis of the Sacco and Vanzetti case, in which the two immigrant men were accused of murder and theft. They were thought to be anarchists, or opposed to all forms of government.  Sacco and Vanzetti were sentenced to death, and in 1927 they were executed still proclaiming their innocence.  Nativists used the idea of eugenics, the false science of the improvement of hereditary traits, to give support to their arguments against immigration Nativists emphasized that human inequalities were inherited and said that inferior people should not be allowed to breed. This added to the anti-immigrant feeling of the time and further promoted the idea of strict immigrant control.

RETURN OF THE KU KLUX KLAN The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) led the movement to restrict immigration New Klan not only targeted the freed African Americans, but also Catholics, Jews, immigrants, and other groups believed to have “un-American” values Because of a publicity campaign, by 1924 the Ku Klux Klan had over 4 million members & stretched beyond the South into Northern cities Scandals & poor leadership led to the decline of the Klan in the late 1920s Politicians supported by the Klan were voted out of office 8:22 the Klan in 1920s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQJX8v0sC3Q

THE NEW MORALITY A “new morality” challenged traditional ideas and glorified youth & personal freedom New ideas about marriage, work, and pleasure affected the way people lived Women broke away from families as they entered the workforce, earned their own livings, or attended college The automobile gave American youth the opportunity to pursue interests away from parents Encouraged by the automobile - The automobile led to the independence of many youths. As a result, many American youths spent time away from family to socialize with friends.

WOMEN IN THE 1920S Bobbed/shortened hair, flesh colored silk stockings Flapper: young, dramatic, and stylish woman personified the fashion change in the 1902s – smoked cigarettes, drank prohibited liquor, dressed “revealing” Pursued social freedoms Sought financial independence Salesclerk, secretaries, telephone operators Doing the charleston! 3:00 teach the charleston Little boy dancing (**stop at 1:25.) OR teach me how to dougie – 2 mins http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJC21zzkwoE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPeIVJmZRWM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUuuMtDB9Z4

THE FUNDAMENTALIST MOVEMENT Some Americans feared the new morality & worried about America’s social decline - many from small rural towns, joined a religious movement called Fundamentalism Rejected Darwin’s theory of evolution & promoted creationism–that God created the world as described in the Bible. 1925 Tennessee - Butler Act: illegal to teach anything that denied creationism and taught evolution instead The Scopes (Monkey) Trial: John T. Scopes, a biology teacher, teaches evolution in his class. After being arrested and put on trial, Scopes was found guilty, but the case was later overturned. After the trial, many fundamentalists withdrew from political activism. Some Americans feared the new morality and worried about America’s social decline. Many of these people came from small rural towns and joined a religious movement called Fundamentalism.  The Fundamentalists rejected Darwin’s theory of evolution, which suggested that humans developed from lower forms of life over millions of years. Instead, Fundamentalists believed in creationism–that God created the world as described in the Bible. In 1925 Tennessee passed the Butler Act, which made it illegal to teach anything that denied creationism and taught evolution instead. The debate between evolutionists and creationists came to a head with the Scopes Trial. Answering the request of the ACLU, John T. Scopes, a biology teacher, volunteered to test the Butler Act by teaching evolution in his class. After being arrested and put on trial, Scopes was found guilty, but the case was later overturned.  After the trial, many fundamentalists withdrew from political activism.

PROHIBITION 18th Amendment (1919): prohibited alcohol – reduce unemployment, domestic violence, & poverty The Volstead Act made the enforcement of Prohibition the responsibility of the U.S. Treasury Department (federal gov) Prohibition ignored -> speakeasies, crime became a business, bootlegging common 21st Amendment: ended Prohibition (1933) ***WHAT ABOUT TODAY? ALCOHOL AND CRIME LINKED? Organized crime ran most of the speakeasies. Bootlegging–the illegal production and distribution of alcohol–was common. Gangsters smuggled alcohol into the United States, and violence occurred as gangs fought to control the liquor trade. Some gangsters gained enough money and power to corrupt local politicians. Many people felt the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited alcohol, would reduce unemployment, domestic violence, and poverty. The Volstead Act made the enforcement of Prohibition the responsibility of the U.S. Treasury Department.  Until the 1900s, police powers–a government’s power to control people and property in the public’s interest, had been the job of the state governments. Americans ignored the laws of Prohibition They went to secret bars called speakeasies, where alcohol could be purchased.  Crime became big business, and gangsters corrupted many local politicians and governments. - In 1933 the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment ended Prohibition.  It was a victory for modernism and a defeat for supporters of traditional values.

HOW DID POPULAR CULTURE CHANGE IN THE 1920s? The economic prosperity of the 1920s afforded many Americans leisure time for enjoying sports, music, theater, and entertainment. Radio, motion pictures, and newspapers gave rise to a new interest in sports. Sports figures became celebrities. Motion pictures became increasingly popular. The first“talking” picture, The Jazz Singer, was made in 1927. The golden age of Hollywood began. The mass media–radio, movies, newspapers, and magazines–broke down the focus on local interests. Mass media helped unify the nation and spread new ideas and attitudes. Blue skies from Jazz Singer – 2:44 1927 the first “talking” picture The Jazz Singer was produced and the golden age of Hollywood began. (previously piano players were hired to provide music during the motion pictures) The economic prosperity of the 1920s afforded many Americans leisure time for enjoying sports, music, theater, and entertainment Radio, motion pictures, and newspapers gave rise to a new interest in sports.  Sports figures, such as Babe Ruth and heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, were famous for their sports abilities but became celebrities as well. Motion pictures became increasingly popular The first “talking” picture, The Jazz Singer, was made in 1927.  The golden age of Hollywood began.  The mass media–radio, movies, newspapers, and magazines–helped break down the focus on local interests.  Mass media helped unify the nation and spread new ideas and attitudes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djd1XfwDAQs

What was the Harlem Renaissance? In large northern cities, particularly New York City’s neighborhood of Harlem, African Americans created environments that stimulated artistic development, racial pride, a sense of community, and political organization, which led to a massive creative outpouring of African American arts. This became known as the Harlem Renaissance. Ex: Langston Hughes, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Claude McKay **2:44 video clip The Great Migration occurred when hundreds of thousands of African Americans from the rural South headed to industrial cities in the North with the hope of a better life. In large northern cities, particularly New York City’s neighborhood of Harlem, African Americans created environments that stimulated artistic development, racial pride, a sense of community, and political organization, which led to a massive creative outpouring of African American arts. Writer Claude McKay became the first important writer of the Harlem RenaissanceHis work expressed defiance and contempt of racism, which were very strong writing characteristics of this time.  Langston Hughes became the leading voice of the African American experience in the United States Louis Armstrong introduced jazz, a style of music influenced by Dixieland music and ragtime.  He became the first great cornet and trumpet soloist in jazz music.  A famous Harlem nightspot, the Cotton Club, was where some famous African American musicians, such as Duke Ellington, got their start http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9idqeiACqn4

African American politics After World War I, many African Americans wanted a new role in life and in politics. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) battled against segregation and discrimination (formed when Progressive reforms failed to address discrimination/African American needs). Jamaican black leader Marcus Garvey’s idea of “Negro Nationalism” glorified black culture and traditions. He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which promoted black pride & unity. He encouraged education as the way for African Americans to gain economic & political power; but he also voiced the need for separation &independence from whites. The Great Migration led to African Americans becoming powerful voting blocs, which influenced election outcomes in the North.  Oscar DePriest was elected as the first African American representative in Congress from a Northern state after African Americans voted as a block. The NAACP’s efforts led to the passage of anti-lynching legislation in the House of Representatives, but the Senate defeated the bill. Garvey: He founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), which promoted black pride and unity.  Garvey encouraged education as the way for African Americans to gain economic and political power; but he also voiced the need for separation and independence from whites. Garvey’s plan to create a settlement in Liberia in Africa for African Americans caused middle class African Americans to distance themselves from GarveyHis ideas, however, led to a sense of pride and hope in African Americans that resurfaced during the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

REVIEW: US Attitude 1920s (The Roaring Twenties) America returned to Normalcy (normal times, unlike WWI) after the horrors of WWI & the social changes of the Progressive Era. This meant that the US adopted a policy of Isolation in foreign policy and laissez-faire in domestic economic policies. Generally, the economy prospered during the early/mid 1920s. Socially, a return to “American” values was desired by American fundamentalists, or those that advocated a return to Christian values. Ex: Scopes Monkey Trial – no evolution in schools A more powerful movement calling for the band of alcohol also gained significance and by 1919, Prohibition, or the ban of alcohol, was enacted with the 18th amendment. All of this did not stop a new rebellious young culture from emerging though! A New Morality also arose at this time (e.g. flappers [rebellious short-haired women], women’s voting rights, working opportunities [not stay at home cooking!], living a free single life, driving around in cars, dancing to ragtime, listening to Jazz & Blues)

REVIEW: WOMEN & AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE 1920s 19th Amendment – Women’s Suffrage -Women had recently been given the right to vote (suffrage) by the 19th Amendment in 1919, though it was not effective until 1920. -Women also used the freedom of the times to live a more free and fulfilling life. More women were going to college and as a result many women were inspired to pursue careers and challenge traditional values. Harlem Renaissance -African Americans had moved from the south to the north in large numbers during WWI due to the number of jobs made available by the war (the first mass migration). They settled in concentrated numbers in large cities like New York (Harlem) and Chicago. -This conglomeration of people brought their art, music, and dance styles from black culture and from it emerged the Harlem Renaissance- was an artistic and cultural movement (including music, poetry, art, literature, etc.) of the 1920s that originated out of urban Harlem. -Notable Harlem Renaissance Writers: Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Jean Toomer -Notable Harlem Renaissance Intellectuals: Alan LeRoy Locke, W. E. B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey

Review: Booker T. Washington & WEB Du Bois The two most notable African American activists in the 1920s were Booker T. Washington and WEB Du Bois. Booker T. Washington believed that African-Americans needed to concentrate on attaining education and financial prosperity before demanding political rights. WEB Du Bois (who founded the NAACP) demanded an immediate protection and equality of African-Americans through political means. One thing they both agreed on, however, was the need for the African-American community to produce great black leaders. Another notable black rights figure is Marcus Garvey- believing true justice would never be obtained in America, he advocated a Back-to- Africa movement, in which called upon blacks to return to the land they were taken from rather than having to put up with discrimination & persecution in the US.