1920s America: A Decade of Great Change
Posted on January 15, 2021
by April S
Coined the Roaring Twenties, the nineteen twenties were “regarded as a boisterous era of prosperity, fast cars, jazz, speakeasies, and wild youth.” However, things were not the same for everyone. In 1920s America, some had wealth and privilege, but not all. Widespread income inequities were felt by a substantial portion of the population throughout the decade. “For many Americans, the 1920s was a decade of poverty. More than 60 per cent of Americans lived just below the poverty line.” – Bitesize guides, BBC
The 1920s are often referred to as the decade of great change. Women gained the right to vote, movies evolved from silent to talkies, there was an explosion of activity in arts and literature, assembly lines were in full swing, and the list goes on and on. One hundred years later, the decade remains a pivotal time in American history.
When researching 1920s America, people typically want general information or have a specific focus in mind. Frequently studied topics from the nineteen twenties include various industries, the economy, automobiles, aviation, the 18th Amendment (or National Prohibition Act), the 19th Amendment (or women’s right to vote), labor strikes (1919-1921), the Harlem Renaissance, fashion, flappers, jazz, literature, radio, sports, organized crime, movies, and the stock market crash of 1929.
If you would like assistance finding information on the topics featured in this blog post or another topic of interest, please contact the Fact & Fiction Department at the Main Library by calling 419.259.5311 or send an email to fact.fiction@toledolibrary.org – we’re always glad to help!
Finding Library Materials on the 1920s
To find library materials specifically related to life in 1920s America, we suggest using the Advanced search in the Library catalog. Bear in mind, the results may include materials that span multiple decades, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find helpful information. Look closely at the catalog description to judge whether a particular title will suit your needs.
Daily Life / History
Recommended Terms
- Nineteen twenties
- Roaring twenties
- United States history – 1919-1933
- United States – social conditions – 1918-1932
- United States – social life and customs – 1918-1945
- United States – civilization – 1918-1945
- Transatlantic flights – history – 20th century
- Aeronautics – United States – history – 20th century
Recommended Books
Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1940: How Americans Lived Through the “Roaring Twenties” and the Great Depression
Life During the Roaring Twenties
Flappers, and the New American Woman: Perceptions of Women from 1918 Through the 1920s
1920: The Year That Made the Decade Roar
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Supreme City: How Jazz Age Manhattan Gave Birth to Modern America
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Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance
Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
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The Flight: Charles Lindbergh’s Daring and Immortal 1927 Transatlantic Crossing
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Bessie Coleman: First African American and Native American Pilot
- Crime – United States – history – 20th century
- Organized crime – history – 20th century
- Biography – criminals & outlaws
- Forensic sciences – history – 20th century
- Prohibition – United States – history – 20th century
Recommended Books
The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz-Age America
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The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
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Scarface and the Untouchable: Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and the Battle for Chicago
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius
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Detroit’s Infamous Purple Gang
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King Con: The Bizarre Adventures of the Jazz Age’s Greatest Imposter
- Harlem Renaissance
- Harlem (New York, N.Y.) – Intellectual life
- African American arts – New York (State) – 20th century
- African Americans – New York (State) – Intellectual life – 20th century
Recommended Books
The Harlem Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction
Black Women of the Harlem Renaissance Era
The Harlem Renaissance
The Encyclopedia of the Harlem Literary Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance in American History
- Popular culture – United States – history – 20th century
- United States – Social life and customs – 1918-1945
- Fashion – United States – history – 20th century
- Clothing and dress – United States – history – 20th century
- Sports
Recommended Books
Bright Young Things: Real Lives in the Roaring Twenties
Flappers: Six Women of a Dangerous Generation
Style & Status: Selling Beauty to African American Women, 1920-1975
One Summer: America, 1927
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Fashion in the Time of The Great Gatsby
American Epic: When Music Gave America Her Voice
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Five O’clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and the Greatest Team in Baseball, the 1927 New York Yankees
Oscar Charleston: The Life and Legend of Baseball’s Greatest Forgotten Player
Black Pearls: Blues Queens of the 1920s
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