Essays
Blog posts that explore some aspect of the 1920s
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What the 1920s Mean to Me
When I think of the 1920s, the image that most often comes to mind is that of the “New Woman” or flapper. I know from some of my past courses…
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What Does the 1920s Mean to Me
When I think of the 1920s, I often think of a world of culture and celebration. Thoughts of dance clubs, Jazz, Flappers, and economic boom come rushing to my mind.…
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St. Valentine’s Day Massacre:
Introduction The 1920s was a period defined by cultural excess and societal shifts in America. While many associate the decade with the glamour of jazz culture and flappers, a darker…
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Historiographic Interpretations of the 1920s: Revealing Hidden Narratives
The 1920s are often a decade characterized by glamour and excess following World War I. Due to the culture of the twenties, people often only associate the decade with the…
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The Dawes Plan is Enacted
Overview While tension after World War I began to fall slightly, there were still many unresolved issues among countries in Europe. Naturally, this makes sense as World War I was…
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Thomas Salmon (1875-1927): The New Psychiatrist
With the death of Thomas Salmon, M.D. in a sailing accident on August 13, 1927, the mentally ill lost one of their most respected and influential advocates of that era.…
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La Matanza: The Banana Massacre in American and Colombian History
Introduction On December 5th, 1928, Colombian laborers and their families gathered at Ciénaga’s train station to negotiate the terms of their strike against the United Fruit Company with the Governor…
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The Death of Bessie Coleman, The First Black Woman Pilot
The Life of Bessie Coleman Bessie Coleman was a culmination of ‘firsts’ in one person. She was the first African American to be awarded an international pilot’s license, the first…
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Understanding the 1920s Through Historiography
David J. Goldberg and Jennifer Fronc examine the 1920s through the lens of the twenty-first century. Both recognize how modern society is fascinated by this unique period in American history…
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The General Historiography of the 1920s
The Twenties: A New Historiographical Frontier (1966) by Burl Noggle and Rethinking the 1920s: Historians and Changing Perspectives (2007) by David J. Goldberg complement each other by writing about the…
