{"id":3669,"date":"2025-01-29T06:53:50","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T06:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh-wordpress.ramapo.edu\/discovering1920s\/?p=3669"},"modified":"2025-02-26T15:42:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:42:46","slug":"the-tale-of-two-conflicting-understandings-of-the-1920s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh-wordpress.ramapo.edu\/discovering1920s\/blog\/2025\/01\/29\/the-tale-of-two-conflicting-understandings-of-the-1920s\/","title":{"rendered":"The Tale of Two Conflicting Understandings of the 1920s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I think of the 1920s, my mind immediately goes in two opposite directions. There is a part of me that starts to think of the very stereotypical pop culture view of the decade: jazz, flappers, mobsters, and Ford Model Ts. This has been influenced by works like The Great Gatsby, <\/em>the fashion in the later seasons of Downton Abbey, <\/em>the Halloween costume aisle at any major American box store, and countless other media references. If I look at this decade on the surface level, I see a fun and carefree time. People were living in luxury, and women were finally getting freedom and independence. The years between 1920 and the stock market crash in October of 1929 seem to be one big, never-ending party. However, over my years in school, I have learned that this could not be more wrong, and here is where my other view of the decade surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The image is from: Paccone, \u201cSAQs for APUSH Topic 7.8 \u2014 the 1920s (Political and Cultural Controversies).\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The truth about the 1920s is very different than their portrayal in pop culture. While the Twenties were definitely a \u201cRoaring\u201d decade, it is mostly for the wrong reasons. One huge misconception about the 1920s is that they were this perfect time when Americans were living in luxury. Only white Americans were truly able to participate in the booming economy and purchase new inventions like the infamous Ford Model T car. This would all come crumbling down when the stock market crashed. Many of those newfangled gadgets were being purchased with credit and loans, which were backed by investment in the stock market. When the market crashed, people lost everything. Another major misconception of the 1920s is in regard to women. Despite how important women were in the war effort only a few years prior and gaining the right to vote through the ratification of the 19th Amendment, they were expected to return to their roles of wife and mother in the. This led young people to rebel against these societal norms. They cut their hair and dressed in clothing that would have previously been considered immodest. Flapper culture was not just some cool fashion trend that needs to be replicated in Halloween costumes; it was women fighting for their rights. The entire system of the decade was flawed from the start and doomed to fail, but through the rose-colored glasses of pop culture, those realities are missed. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The image is from \u201cRadio and Music in the 1920s United States.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The 1920s was a unique period in the history of the United States and the world. Looking at the images above, I am reminded about the beauty and tragedy of this decade. The five women in the first picture appear like they could be around my age, late teens to early twenties. They were the first generation of women to get to vote when they became of age, 21 at the time. They also were the first generation of American women to start wearing skirts and dresses that neared their knees, paving the way for women to eventually have the freedom of expression that we have today in our fashion. The second image shows me the more tragic side of the decade. Non-white Americans were excluded and discriminated against. In the image, a band is visible, which is comprised of some Black American artists. Black Americans introduced the country to jazz music, which would become a defining feature of the decade. Talented Black musicians would play at high-society clubs in big cities like New York and Chicago. However, these amazing artists were only invited to entertain. They would never have been able to walk through the front doors because of the racial prejudice that plagued the country at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The image is from: Tim, \u201cPaving the Way: Traffic Flow Maps From the 1920s | Worlds Revealed.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The final image I chose to include in this blog post summarizes my thoughts on the 1920s. Looking at that beautiful car parked on the street, one sees beauty and class. This is how the decade is viewed on a surface level: a time of luxury, glitz, glamor, and never-ending fun. However, like with anything, there is a deeper meaning behind this image. Many people in the 1920s ended up losing their cars when the stock market crashed. When they purchased it, they never would have guessed that owning such an item would have a consequence. The same can be said about the 1920s as a whole. On the surface the decade appears to be this perfect time; however, the country was plagued with racial injustice, crime caused by Prohibition, a growing consumer population that could not afford their purchase, and so many other problems. While we still can admire the beauty of the 1920s, we also must acknowledge its flaws so we do not repeat the same mistakes in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FamilySearch. \u201cRadio and Music in the 1920s United States,\u201d October 3, 2023. https:\/\/www.familysearch.org\/en\/blog\/1920s-radio-music-america.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paccone, Peter. \u201cSAQs for APUSH Topic 7.8 \u2014 the 1920s (Political and Cultural Controversies).\u201d Medium<\/em>, January 7, 2022. https:\/\/ppaccone.medium.com\/saqs-for-apush-topic-7-8-the-1920s-political-and-cultural-controversies-7ec9d74f234b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tim, St. Onge. \u201cPaving the Way: Traffic Flow Maps From the 1920s | Worlds Revealed.\u201d The Library of Congress, August 18, 2022. https:\/\/blogs.loc.gov\/maps\/2022\/08\/paving-the-way-traffic-flow-maps-from-the-1920s\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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