The purpose of this pathfinder is to aid an Eleventh Grade United States History Class and meet the North Carolina Standard Course of Study - 9.03 Analyze the significance of social, intellectual, and technological changes of lifestyles in the United States during the 1920’s. It provides a guide to the resources that can be found at UNC LIbraries and the internet.
Topic of Study
The "Roaring 20's," the "Jazz Age" and the "Harlem Renaissance," are commonly used terms that refer to the 1920's in America. In the aftermath of World War I, society enjoyed unprecedented levels of prosperity and freedom, but at the same time, Prohibition, the ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol, made millionaires out of bootleggers and led to an increase in organized crime. Markers of this time period include: the popularity of jazz music, flappers, an emphasis on dance, a drastic increase in automobile production, the development of sound pictures and an increase in radio broadcasting, to name just a few. The spirit of the "Roaring Twenties" was distinguished by a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity, a break with traditions and several inventions and discoveries of far-reaching importance, including unprecedented industrial growth and accelerated consumer demand leading to significant changes in lifestyle.
Charleston Dance
Starting Research:
Subject Headings
Subject heading classification is a human and intellectual endeavor, where trained professionals apply topic descriptions to items in their collections. They are applied to every item within a library’s collection, and facilitate a user’s access to items in the catalogue that pertain to similar subject matter.
Commercial arts--United States--History--20th Century
United States--History--1919-1933
United States--Social conditions--1918-1932
United States--Social life and customs--1919-1933
Women--United States--History--20th century.
Women in popular culture--United States--History--20th century.
Costume--United States--History--20th century.
Decoration and ornament--Art deco.
Nineteen twenties--Fiction.
United States--Social life and customs--20th century--Fiction.
Search Terms
These are keywords or phrases that derive from everyday use and are helpful when searching for a specific topic.
Nineteen Twenties America
American Twenties Culture
Roaring Twenties
Prohibition America
Harlem Renaissance
Jazz Age
Flappers
Call Numbers
This is a system of coding and organizing library materials according to their subject and allocating a number to that information resource. These books are then shelved according to these numbers so that related topics are placed near each other.
909.82
917.3
973.91
Resources
Reference Books
(This selection of books can be found at the Davis Library Reference section at UNC Libraries) Encyclopedia of the Jazz Age : from the end of World War I to the great crashedited by James Ciment – Davis Library Reference E784 .E53 2008 v.1 & v. 2
This large, two-volume encyclopedia focuses on world events that occurred between the end of World War I and the stock market crash of 1929, and underlines the vast social contrasts of the era. From the Algonquin Round Table to the Ziegfeld Follies, Ciment, who has previously edited encyclopedias about American immigration and the Great Depression, enlists the help of nearly 100 contributors to provide detailed essays on politics, art, culture, racial relations, health and medicine, law and crime, foreign and military affairs and education
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissanceedited by Wintz, Cary D. and Paul Finkelman – Davis Library Reference NX512.3.A35 E53 2004 v.1 & v.2
Examining the political, economic, and social environment, as well as the artistic and cultural events of the Harlem Renaissance, these two volumes present some 625 entries, including essays on major (and some lesser known) writers, artists, and performers; discussions of creative works, especially those which had an impact on the development of the Harlem Renaissance; information about individuals who predate the Harlem Renaissance, but whose works were influential (e.g. Paul Laurence Dunbar and Henry Ossawa Tanner); and issues of race, including the emergence of the struggle for civil rights, the anticolonial movement, and the role of whites in the Harlem Renaissance.
International Encyclopedia of Women’s Suffrageby June Hannam – Davis Library Reference JF851 .H28 2000
This thorough and very readable reference seeks to shift the focus elsewhere in order to demonstrate the global nature of the demand for women's right to vote. Specific countries from all five continents were chosen either because they had an active suffrage movement or because they provide examples of particular circumstances under which women achieved the vote, such as a relationship between suffrage and nationalism, war, or decolonization.
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Twentieth Centuryedited by Stanley I. Kutler; Robert Dallek, David A. Hollinger, Thomas K. McCraw, associate editors ; Judith Kirkwood, assistant editor – Davis Library Reference E740.7 .E53 1996 v.1-4
Twentieth-century history is approached here from a social and cultural perspective, as well as from the more traditional political and economic views. Contributions of racial minorities, Native Americans, women and non-traditional religions are given a close look. Additionally, the way average Americans worked, lived, played and worshiped is pictured against the backdrop of political change and the growth of the world's foremost industrial power.
Non-Fiction
(This selection of books can be found at UNC Libraries) The Roaring Twentiesby Tom Streissguth - E784 .S76 2007
Offers a resource text for students and general readers containing hundreds of firsthand accounts of the 1920s that illustrate what the period was like for those who lived through it. The revised second edition updates the 2001 first edition with a dozen new pages of primary-source materials; new sections on scientific discoveries, on the labor movement, and on film animation; the addition of new biographies and documents to the appendices; an expanded introduction; the addition of 100-plus citations to the bibliographies; a notes section crediting the sources of statistics and quotations in the main text; and the addition of 25 new photographs.
The Twenties in America: politics and historyby Niall Palmer - E784 .P35 2006
This new, revisionist approach to the 1920s in America offers the first balanced account of the history and politics of this much-maligned decade
New World Coming: the 1920s and the making of modern Americaby Nathan Miller - E784 .M555 2003
The life and career of author F. Scott Fitzgerald is used as a frame for this narrative social history of the United States in the 1920s. Written for a general audience, the text is ambitious in its scope, covering social, political, cultural, and economic change while simultaneously attempting to maintain a human scope. The author covers the activities of the Industrial Workers of the World (the Wobblies), the corruption of the Harding presidency, the Ku Klux Klan and other forms of American xenophobia, the sexual revolution symbolized by the "flappers," Billy Sunday as a symbol of religious revivalism, prohibition and the career of Al Capone, Charles Lindbergh and the rise of aviation, the stock market speculation that led to the crash of 1929, and many other aspects of American society during the decade
Posing a threat: flappers, chorus girls and other brazen performers of the American 1920sby Angela J. Latham - HQ1420 .L38 2000
A lively look at the ways in which American women in the 1920s transformed their lives through performance & fashion.
The talkies: American cinema’s transition to sound, 1926-1931by Donald Crafton - PN1993.5.U6 H55 v. 4
Crafton departs from revisionist accounts that stress the systematic development of film, and portrays the transition to sound as partly rational and partly confused. He maintains that even though the studios tried to develop a proactive approach to the transition, they were concerned with reducing risks, and often behaved in a retroactive way. Topics include the effects of the depression, the struggles for control over the new technology, and the popular reception of the talkies.
Dance Marathons: performing American culture of the 1920s and 1930sby Carol Martin - GV1623 .M37 1994
Martin sees the peculiar fad that swept the US between the world wars as a representation of working class people struggling for survival, and shows how the genuine pain of the competitions was staged with dramatic interaction between the contestants and specialty acts.
Only Yesterday: an informal history of the nineteen twentiesby Frederick Lewis Allen – E784 .A6 1997
A social history of the United States during the "roaring twenties." Examines American individualism and the decade that they knew Mah Jong and Mencken, Cou eism and Coolidge, Listerine and Lindbergh, as well as Capone, Ford, Babe Ruth, the Teapot Dome, and bathtub gin.
Living in 1920s Americaedited by Myra Weatherly – E169 .L778 2006
Presents a collection of essays that describe what life was like in America in the 1920s, including information on family, home life, food, drink, women's roles, education, technology, and more.
The Jazz Age: the 20sby the editors of Time-Life Books – E784 .J39 1998
Contains a look at the culture and historical events that took place in America during the 1920's - Flappers and the Charleston. Prohibition and gangsters. Lindbergh and the Dolly Sisters. Bessie Smith and Babe Ruth. F. Scott Fitzgerald said of the 20s "The pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper." The trauma of the first World War had passed, there was a new face in the White House, Prohibition was in effect, and at night clubs and speakeasies across the land, a new sound was heard: jazz.
Harlem Speaks: a living history of the Harlem Renaissanceedited by Cary D. Wintz - PS153.N5 H267 2007
Presents a comprehensive history of the Harlem Renaissance during the early decades of the twentieth century; and contains essays and an audio CD on the music, art, literature, and politics of that era
NCLive Databases
NC LIVE provides North Carolina residents and students with access to high quality information - searchable collections of magazine, newspaper, and journal articles, electronic books, historical materials, maps, and much more - covering a wide range of topics. ABC Clio
Select "American History," narrow it down to 1900-1945 and then click on “Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1939: Decades of Pain and Promise.” A collection of e-books highlighting aspects of the 1920's can be found.
Academic Search Premier
Offers a selection of magazines, journals and peer reviewed scholarly works that hit on issues prevalent to the time period. PBS Video Collection
If you select (Heritage & Genealogy), you can access this database which offers a collection of video on a variety of topics, including various aspects of the Jazz Age.
Biographies
Below are some of the more notable figures that emerged during this time period.
(This selection can be found at UNC Libraries)
Al Capone Al Capone: a biography by Luciano Iorizzo – HV6248.C17 I597 2003 Presents a biography of Al Capone, tracing the life of the infamous prohibition-era criminal from his youth in New York to his death at the age of forty-eight from complications of syphilis, and including a look at corruption in American society, a time line, and a bibliography.
Bessie Smith Somebody’s Angel Child: the story of Bessie Smith by Carman Moore – J92 SMITH
The life of the Negro singer who flourished in the twenties and was known as "Queen" of the blues
Charles Lindbergh Charles A. Lindbergh: a human hero by James Cross Giblin – J92 Lindbergh
The story of Lindbergh's rise to fame and abrupt descent into disgrace is told here with frankness and understanding. The meticulously researched text and generous selection of archival photographs present a lively and rounded portrait of a man who earned his place in aviation history despite his faults.
Dolly Sisters The Delectable Dollies: the Dolly sisters, icons of the jazz age by Gary Chapman – GV1785.D653 C53 2006 Icons of the Jazz Age, the delectable dancing Dollies were stars of society. The rags to riches story of twins Jenny and Rosie is set against the glittering backdrop of pre-war high society in America and Europe. But behind the glamour of fame, fortune, mistaken identity, millionaires and sisterly devotion lurked rivalry, duplicity and tragedy. A dizzying cocktail of delight
Duke Ellington Duke Ellington: King of Jazz by Elizabeth Montgomery – J92 Ellington
Examines the life and career of the talented jazz composer, bandleader, and pianist, from his childhood in Washington, D.C., through his battle against racism, to his influence on the world of jazz
F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald by Howard Greenfeld – B Fitzgerald
A biography of the author considered to be one of the most important American writers of the twentieth century.
Langston Hughes Langston Hughes: a biography by Milton Meltzer – J811.52 Hughes
A biography of the Negro poet and playwright whose themes were based on his diverse ethnic and social experiences in Harlem and in the many places he traveled.
Fictional Novels
Sometimes it's nice to get a different perspective when learning about a time period. Fictional novels have the ability to create a portal into a different time so that the reader can almost experience what they are reading which make novels a fun supplement to text books.
(This selection can be found at UNC Libraries)
Henry and the Kite Dragonby Bruce Edward Hall – JE Hall
In this touching story based on true 1920's events, two rival groups of children representing two different cultures come face to face, and when they do, they find they share much more than just the same sky.
The Great Gatsby by F. Fitzgerald --PS3511.I9 G845 2010
Chronicles an era that Fitzgerald himself dubbed the "Jazz Age," through the character of Nick Carraway, a young man who lives next door to the mysterious Gatsby. Highlights aspects of the 20's such as bootlegging, flappers and the general glamour associated with the age.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos -- PS3523.O557 G4 1998b First published during the flapper days of 1925, this story follows the life of gold-digger Lorelei and her best friend, Dorothy, from Hollywood to Manhattan to Paris and London as they are pursued by eager suitors.
Passing by Nella Larsen --PS3523.A7225 P37 2003 A candid exploration of the destabilization of racial and sexual boundaries that had come to play during the 1920's as told through the story of two African-American women who, when faced with similar choices, make very different decisions concerning their lives.
Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska --PS3547.E95 B743 1999 Set during the 1920s on New York's Lower East Side, the story follows Sara Smolinsky, the daughter of an Orthodox rabbi, who struggles toward independence and self-fulfillment--through education, work, and love.
Langston Hughesedited by Arnold Rampersad & David Roessel -- J811.52 Hughes
One of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance—the flowering of black culture that took place in the 1920s and 30s—Langston Hughes captured the soul of his people, and gave voice to their concerns about race and social justice.
Like novels, movies can help bring to life the realities of a time period. However, it is important to keep in mind that everything seen is not 100% factual, but a creative representation.
Created during the 1920’s: Faust (1923)
Draws on older traditions of the legendary tale of Faust as well as on Goethe's classic version in which an elderly alchemist makes a deal with the devil.
Metropolis (1927)
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences
The Wind (1928)
A young woman moves to West Texas from the East, but with little options available to her, she is forced to marry a man who disgusts her. Her new home is a small shack with the wind and the sand constant companions.
Set during the 1920’s: Capone (1975)
The story of the rise and fall of the infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone and the control he exhibited over the city during the prohibition years. Unusually, briefly covering the years after Capone was imprisoned
Chicago (2002)
Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago
Funny Girl (1968)
The life of comedienne Fannie Brice, from her early days in the Jewish slums of the Lower East Side, to the height of her career with the Ziegfeld Follies, including her marriage to and eventual divorce from her first husband, Nick Arnstein
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Film adaption of the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
Story of torch singer Ruth Etting's rise from 1920s taxi dancer to movie star, simultaneously aided and frustrated by Chicago mobster Marty Sydney's headstrong ways and pressure tactics
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Two struggling male musicians witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city before they are found and killed by the mob. However, the only options available to them is to dress up as show girls.
The Roaring 20's
By Diane AikenIntroduction
Scope
The purpose of this pathfinder is to aid an Eleventh Grade United States History Class and meet the North Carolina Standard Course of Study - 9.03 Analyze the significance of social, intellectual, and technological changes of lifestyles in the United States during the 1920’s. It provides a guide to the resources that can be found at UNC LIbraries and the internet.Topic of Study
The "Roaring 20's," the "Jazz Age" and the "Harlem Renaissance," are commonly used terms that refer to the 1920's in America. In the aftermath of World War I, society enjoyed unprecedented levels of prosperity and freedom, but at the same time, Prohibition, the ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol, made millionaires out of bootleggers and led to an increase in organized crime. Markers of this time period include: the popularity of jazz music, flappers, an emphasis on dance, a drastic increase in automobile production, the development of sound pictures and an increase in radio broadcasting, to name just a few. The spirit of the "Roaring Twenties" was distinguished by a general feeling of discontinuity associated with modernity, a break with traditions and several inventions and discoveries of far-reaching importance, including unprecedented industrial growth and accelerated consumer demand leading to significant changes in lifestyle.Starting Research:
Subject Headings
Subject heading classification is a human and intellectual endeavor, where trained professionals apply topic descriptions to items in their collections. They are applied to every item within a library’s collection, and facilitate a user’s access to items in the catalogue that pertain to similar subject matter.Search Terms
These are keywords or phrases that derive from everyday use and are helpful when searching for a specific topic.Call Numbers
This is a system of coding and organizing library materials according to their subject and allocating a number to that information resource. These books are then shelved according to these numbers so that related topics are placed near each other.Resources
Reference Books
(This selection of books can be found at the Davis Library Reference section at UNC Libraries)Encyclopedia of the Jazz Age : from the end of World War I to the great crash edited by James Ciment – Davis Library Reference E784 .E53 2008 v.1 & v. 2
This large, two-volume encyclopedia focuses on world events that occurred between the end of World War I and the stock market crash of 1929, and underlines the vast social contrasts of the era. From the Algonquin Round Table to the Ziegfeld Follies, Ciment, who has previously edited encyclopedias about American immigration and the Great Depression, enlists the help of nearly 100 contributors to provide detailed essays on politics, art, culture, racial relations, health and medicine, law and crime, foreign and military affairs and education
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance edited by Wintz, Cary D. and Paul Finkelman – Davis Library Reference NX512.3.A35 E53 2004 v.1 & v.2
Examining the political, economic, and social environment, as well as the artistic and cultural events of the Harlem Renaissance, these two volumes present some 625 entries, including essays on major (and some lesser known) writers, artists, and performers; discussions of creative works, especially those which had an impact on the development of the Harlem Renaissance; information about individuals who predate the Harlem Renaissance, but whose works were influential (e.g. Paul Laurence Dunbar and Henry Ossawa Tanner); and issues of race, including the emergence of the struggle for civil rights, the anticolonial movement, and the role of whites in the Harlem Renaissance.
International Encyclopedia of Women’s Suffrage by June Hannam – Davis Library Reference JF851 .H28 2000
This thorough and very readable reference seeks to shift the focus elsewhere in order to demonstrate the global nature of the demand for women's right to vote. Specific countries from all five continents were chosen either because they had an active suffrage movement or because they provide examples of particular circumstances under which women achieved the vote, such as a relationship between suffrage and nationalism, war, or decolonization.
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Twentieth Century edited by Stanley I. Kutler; Robert Dallek, David A. Hollinger, Thomas K. McCraw, associate editors ; Judith Kirkwood, assistant editor – Davis Library Reference E740.7 .E53 1996 v.1-4
Twentieth-century history is approached here from a social and cultural perspective, as well as from the more traditional political and economic views. Contributions of racial minorities, Native Americans, women and non-traditional religions are given a close look. Additionally, the way average Americans worked, lived, played and worshiped is pictured against the backdrop of political change and the growth of the world's foremost industrial power.
Non-Fiction
(This selection of books can be found at UNC Libraries)The Roaring Twenties by Tom Streissguth - E784 .S76 2007
Offers a resource text for students and general readers containing hundreds of firsthand accounts of the 1920s that illustrate what the period was like for those who lived through it. The revised second edition updates the 2001 first edition with a dozen new pages of primary-source materials; new sections on scientific discoveries, on the labor movement, and on film animation; the addition of new biographies and documents to the appendices; an expanded introduction; the addition of 100-plus citations to the bibliographies; a notes section crediting the sources of statistics and quotations in the main text; and the addition of 25 new photographs.
The Twenties in America: politics and history by Niall Palmer - E784 .P35 2006
This new, revisionist approach to the 1920s in America offers the first balanced account of the history and politics of this much-maligned decade
New World Coming: the 1920s and the making of modern America by Nathan Miller - E784 .M555 2003
The life and career of author F. Scott Fitzgerald is used as a frame for this narrative social history of the United States in the 1920s. Written for a general audience, the text is ambitious in its scope, covering social, political, cultural, and economic change while simultaneously attempting to maintain a human scope. The author covers the activities of the Industrial Workers of the World (the Wobblies), the corruption of the Harding presidency, the Ku Klux Klan and other forms of American xenophobia, the sexual revolution symbolized by the "flappers," Billy Sunday as a symbol of religious revivalism, prohibition and the career of Al Capone, Charles Lindbergh and the rise of aviation, the stock market speculation that led to the crash of 1929, and many other aspects of American society during the decade
Posing a threat: flappers, chorus girls and other brazen performers of the American 1920s by Angela J. Latham - HQ1420 .L38 2000
A lively look at the ways in which American women in the 1920s transformed their lives through performance & fashion.
The talkies: American cinema’s transition to sound, 1926-1931 by Donald Crafton - PN1993.5.U6 H55 v. 4
Crafton departs from revisionist accounts that stress the systematic development of film, and portrays the transition to sound as partly rational and partly confused. He maintains that even though the studios tried to develop a proactive approach to the transition, they were concerned with reducing risks, and often behaved in a retroactive way. Topics include the effects of the depression, the struggles for control over the new technology, and the popular reception of the talkies.
Dance Marathons: performing American culture of the 1920s and 1930s by Carol Martin - GV1623 .M37 1994
Martin sees the peculiar fad that swept the US between the world wars as a representation of working class people struggling for survival, and shows how the genuine pain of the competitions was staged with dramatic interaction between the contestants and specialty acts.
Only Yesterday: an informal history of the nineteen twenties by Frederick Lewis Allen – E784 .A6 1997
A social history of the United States during the "roaring twenties." Examines American individualism and the decade that they knew Mah Jong and Mencken, Cou eism and Coolidge, Listerine and Lindbergh, as well as Capone, Ford, Babe Ruth, the Teapot Dome, and bathtub gin.
Living in 1920s America edited by Myra Weatherly – E169 .L778 2006
Presents a collection of essays that describe what life was like in America in the 1920s, including information on family, home life, food, drink, women's roles, education, technology, and more.
The Jazz Age: the 20s by the editors of Time-Life Books – E784 .J39 1998
Contains a look at the culture and historical events that took place in America during the 1920's - Flappers and the Charleston. Prohibition and gangsters. Lindbergh and the Dolly Sisters. Bessie Smith and Babe Ruth. F. Scott Fitzgerald said of the 20s "The pace was faster, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the liquor was cheaper." The trauma of the first World War had passed, there was a new face in the White House, Prohibition was in effect, and at night clubs and speakeasies across the land, a new sound was heard: jazz.
Harlem Speaks: a living history of the Harlem Renaissance edited by Cary D. Wintz - PS153.N5 H267 2007
Presents a comprehensive history of the Harlem Renaissance during the early decades of the twentieth century; and contains essays and an audio CD on the music, art, literature, and politics of that era
NCLive Databases
NC LIVE provides North Carolina residents and students with access to high quality information - searchable collections of magazine, newspaper, and journal articles, electronic books, historical materials, maps, and much more - covering a wide range of topics.ABC Clio
Select "American History," narrow it down to 1900-1945 and then click on “Daily Life in the United States, 1920-1939: Decades of Pain and Promise.” A collection of e-books highlighting aspects of the 1920's can be found.
Academic Search Premier
Offers a selection of magazines, journals and peer reviewed scholarly works that hit on issues prevalent to the time period.
PBS Video Collection
If you select (Heritage & Genealogy), you can access this database which offers a collection of video on a variety of topics, including various aspects of the Jazz Age.
Biographies
Below are some of the more notable figures that emerged during this time period.(This selection can be found at UNC Libraries)
Al Capone
Al Capone: a biography by Luciano Iorizzo – HV6248.C17 I597 2003
Presents a biography of Al Capone, tracing the life of the infamous prohibition-era criminal from his youth in New York to his death at the age of forty-eight from complications of syphilis, and including a look at corruption in American society, a time line, and a bibliography.
Bessie Smith
Somebody’s Angel Child: the story of Bessie Smith by Carman Moore – J92 SMITH
The life of the Negro singer who flourished in the twenties and was known as "Queen" of the blues
Charles Lindbergh
Charles A. Lindbergh: a human hero by James Cross Giblin – J92 Lindbergh
The story of Lindbergh's rise to fame and abrupt descent into disgrace is told here with frankness and understanding. The meticulously researched text and generous selection of archival photographs present a lively and rounded portrait of a man who earned his place in aviation history despite his faults.
Dolly Sisters
The Delectable Dollies: the Dolly sisters, icons of the jazz age by Gary Chapman – GV1785.D653 C53 2006
Icons of the Jazz Age, the delectable dancing Dollies were stars of society. The rags to riches story of twins Jenny and Rosie is set against the glittering backdrop of pre-war high society in America and Europe. But behind the glamour of fame, fortune, mistaken identity, millionaires and sisterly devotion lurked rivalry, duplicity and tragedy. A dizzying cocktail of delight
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington: King of Jazz by Elizabeth Montgomery – J92 Ellington
Examines the life and career of the talented jazz composer, bandleader, and pianist, from his childhood in Washington, D.C., through his battle against racism, to his influence on the world of jazz
F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald by Howard Greenfeld – B Fitzgerald
A biography of the author considered to be one of the most important American writers of the twentieth century.
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes: a biography by Milton Meltzer – J811.52 Hughes
A biography of the Negro poet and playwright whose themes were based on his diverse ethnic and social experiences in Harlem and in the many places he traveled.
Fictional Novels
Sometimes it's nice to get a different perspective when learning about a time period. Fictional novels have the ability to create a portal into a different time so that the reader can almost experience what they are reading which make novels a fun supplement to text books.(This selection can be found at UNC Libraries)
Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall – JE Hall
In this touching story based on true 1920's events, two rival groups of children representing two different cultures come face to face, and when they do, they find they share much more than just the same sky.
The Great Gatsby by F. Fitzgerald -- PS3511.I9 G845 2010
Chronicles an era that Fitzgerald himself dubbed the "Jazz Age," through the character of Nick Carraway, a young man who lives next door to the mysterious Gatsby. Highlights aspects of the 20's such as bootlegging, flappers and the general glamour associated with the age.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos -- PS3523.O557 G4 1998b
First published during the flapper days of 1925, this story follows the life of gold-digger Lorelei and her best friend, Dorothy, from Hollywood to Manhattan to Paris and London as they are pursued by eager suitors.
Passing by Nella Larsen -- PS3523.A7225 P37 2003
A candid exploration of the destabilization of racial and sexual boundaries that had come to play during the 1920's as told through the story of two African-American women who, when faced with similar choices, make very different decisions concerning their lives.
Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska -- PS3547.E95 B743 1999
Set during the 1920s on New York's Lower East Side, the story follows Sara Smolinsky, the daughter of an Orthodox rabbi, who struggles toward independence and self-fulfillment--through education, work, and love.
Langston Hughes edited by Arnold Rampersad & David Roessel -- J811.52 Hughes
One of the central figures in the Harlem Renaissance—the flowering of black culture that took place in the 1920s and 30s—Langston Hughes captured the soul of his people, and gave voice to their concerns about race and social justice.
Links & Websites
Here is a selection of links and websites that can provide further information on this time period.Musicians:
http://www.the1920snetwork.com/musicians/index.html
Dances:
http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3chrlst.htm
http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3lindy.htm
Economics:
http://econ161.berkeley.edu/TCEH/Slouch_roaring13.html
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/Smiley.1920s.final
Speakeasies:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-prohibitionspeakeasy.html
Cinema:
http://www.filmsite.org/20sintro4.html
Broadcasting:
https://umdrive.memphis.edu/mbensman/public/history1.html
Videos
Like novels, movies can help bring to life the realities of a time period. However, it is important to keep in mind that everything seen is not 100% factual, but a creative representation.Created during the 1920’s:
Faust (1923)
Draws on older traditions of the legendary tale of Faust as well as on Goethe's classic version in which an elderly alchemist makes a deal with the devil.
Metropolis (1927)
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences
The Wind (1928)
A young woman moves to West Texas from the East, but with little options available to her, she is forced to marry a man who disgusts her. Her new home is a small shack with the wind and the sand constant companions.
Set during the 1920’s:
Capone (1975)
The story of the rise and fall of the infamous Chicago gangster Al Capone and the control he exhibited over the city during the prohibition years. Unusually, briefly covering the years after Capone was imprisoned
Chicago (2002)
Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago
Funny Girl (1968)
The life of comedienne Fannie Brice, from her early days in the Jewish slums of the Lower East Side, to the height of her career with the Ziegfeld Follies, including her marriage to and eventual divorce from her first husband, Nick Arnstein
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Film adaption of the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
Story of torch singer Ruth Etting's rise from 1920s taxi dancer to movie star, simultaneously aided and frustrated by Chicago mobster Marty Sydney's headstrong ways and pressure tactics
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Two struggling male musicians witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city before they are found and killed by the mob. However, the only options available to them is to dress up as show girls.