Master Link:
(1920's) To Do:
Links to Follow: You need a background to understand the following activities. Please read the chapter and sections at the following site: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/H/1990/index.htm Chatper 7, section 5 "The Twenties," before you proceed to Activity One.
Activity 1: Background: At the end of WW1 America attempted to return to its former foreign policy of Isolationism. Domestically, the 1920's were a time of massive social and technological upheavals, (The Roaring Twenties) For women, the passage of the 19th amendment gave many a legal voice. Shorter hemlines and hair (the Bob), the use of makeup, smoking in public, the use of new technology (washers, irons, electrical refigerators) all conspired in a manner which provided many women with a freedom of time they had never experienced .
For Black-Americans World War I had often meant new opportunities in the industrialized north, within the war industries, As a result thousands moved from the rural south in one of the great waves of emigration into the cites of the north, in particualar the eastern industrialized cities of Chicago and New York. This trend continued even after the end of the war. During the 1920's many of these individuals found their political, social and artistic voices in Harlem. Within this "Harlem Renaissance" music, art, poetry, literature and politics flurrished and mingled with a new pride that these recent arrivals found in being Black.
Into this mix, immigrantion continued to increase into the cities, in particualr from the southern and eastern Europe. These new iimigrants often a mix of differnent languages and customs did not always meet with open arms from older American groups. In fact during the 1920's America saw the passage of a series of immigration restriction laws, which some believe mixed with prohibition laws to curve the beliefs and customs of some of these immigrant groups.
In addition to immigration restriction and prohibition fear of Communism (The Red Scare, Palmer Raids, the trials of Saco and Vanzetti) mixed with the rise of a new religious fever, (Revivalism, the Scopes Monkey Trial, ) in part as responses to these new changes within society and technology. Yet perhaps it was the reemergence of the Klan (KKK) that gave a voice the reactionary elements of American society. Anti Catholic, anti-immigrant and anti-black these new Klan inceased in numbers to almost 5 million and marched in Washington, to the cheer of thousands one fine summer day.
Activity 1 Links:
Activity 1 Directions: 1920's Cultural Changes Past to Present:
At the following link you will read about many of changes which took place during the 1920's. From this list you need to create a Bio-Board (see me for a few examples) representing one aspect or theme from the 1920's. The second side of this Bio-Board needs to cover the same theme as represented by American culture today. For example, if you decide to cover the topic of "Flappers" from the 1920's, the second side of your board must represent role of women today. The two sides must be related and you must make clear what this relationship is. Specifics for how the Bio-Board must be put together can be found at: Act.BioBoards A grading rubric can be found at: Act.BioBoardRating I strongly suggest you go over this document well before you turn in your completed Bio-Board to me. (125 Points possible)
Activity 2 Background: One of the many changes which occurred in the United States during the 1920's was in music. Jazz, sweet and sassy, with movement of arms, limbs hip, and eyes. This was no classical minuet, where men and women met with the space of worlds between them. This was an intermingling of two as one, with the spaces removed. This new music, by some was to be feared. To them, it represented a threat, a slow degration of morals into the black abyss of sin. For some it should be curved or stopped. Perhaps fear, mixed with racism, as much of this new jazz migrated from Harlem. Or, one might surmise that for some, this music help to push integration and understanding between the races as Anlgos and flocked into Chicago and New York, with crowds to the Speakeasies and dance clubs in particular, to the Cotton Club of Harlem. Today as then at times one feels the need to legislate the threat, real or perceived presentened by some form or art. Today, CD's contain codes, or rating much like film or televsion shows which attempt to warn or guide individuals as to the "moral" content of a work.
Activity 2 Links:
Activity 2 Directions: Music to Cure the Savage Beast. After you have read the complete essay at the site below you need to complete the following:
Activity 3: Directions and Links: Primary Document Analysis: Access the validity of the essay that you read in Acitivity 1, as it applies to some music and artist of today. Are some of the same arguments made concerning the need to control not only the music, as well as the lyrics? If similar arguements are being made, who is making them, about what specific artists? I will judge you on how well you understand this essay and by your ability to quote or paraphrase from the essay and incorporate the material into your own writing concerning arguements today about some of today's artists. (Remember argue from general to specific.) (Possible Points Essay 50) Note: All essays will be graded according to the Helix Writing and Points Rubrics .
Activity 4 Background: As you discovered from Activity 1, the 1920's were a time of tremendous change for some Afro-Americans (Jazz, The Harlem Renaissance, migration into the cities). For many, it was a time of spiritual re-birth or renaissance. From the poetry of Langston Hughes, the jazz trumpheting of Louis Armstrong, to the political activism of Marcus Garvey, being Black was something to be celebrated, to be proud of. These artists of the Harlem Renaissance helped to foster a new political awareness as well as a push for economic, social and political rights. In other words, they wished to incorporate the words and spirit the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution into the fabric of American society. Still most could not vote, get a decent job or move into the growing white suburbs without repercussions. Lynchings continued, as well as the push for anti-lynching legislation. With the Re-emmegence of the Klan, and the enforcement of Jim Crow laws, segregation did just that, it separated the races, while the Harlem Reniassance helped to create and foster a new attitude of pride and in some ways helped to break down the ways of segregation. It terms of the lack of civil rights, three men with vastly diverging views, discussed how Blacks should address this problem. Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington, along with W.E.B. Du Bois did not often agree on how to get these rights. The methodologies that they used differed as well the response they received.
Activity 4 Links:
Activity 4 Directions
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Booker T Washington |
W.E.B. Du Bois |
Marcus Garvey |
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| Date of Birth and Death | |||
| Organization/s Affiliated With | |||
| Goals of Their Organization | |||
| Methods of Addressing the Problem | |||
| Reasons Why They Chose the Methods They Did | |||
| Main Document/s Associated With | |||