The 1920s: Definition and Facts | HISTORY 1920s During the 1920s (often referred to as the Roaring Twenties), a surging economy in the United States created an era of mass consumerism, as Jazz-Age flappers flouted Prohibition laws and the Harlem Renaissance redefined arts and culture. Featured Overview Harlem Renaissance As African Americans flocked to Northern cities in the 1920s, they created a new social and cultural landscape. 2:54m watch Illustration by Eduardo Ramón Trejo. Photos from Getty Images. Featured Overview Harlem Renaissance As African Americans flocked to Northern cities in the 1920s, they created a new social and cultural landscape. 2:54m watch Start Here When WWI, Pandemic and Slump Ended, Americans Sprang Into the Roaring Twenties After enduring dark times, Americans were eager for a comeback. The Tulsa Race Massacre: Facts About the Attack The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 destroyed Black Wall Street in Greenwood, Tulsa. How Gay Culture Blossomed During the Roaring Twenties During Prohibition, gay nightlife and culture reached new heights—at least temporarily. How Flappers of the Roaring Twenties Redefined Womanhood Young women with short hairstyles, cigarettes dangling from their painted lips, dancing to a live jazz band, explored new-found freedoms. How Prohibition Created the Mafia How Prohibition Created the Mafia Starting in January 1920, the United States became a dry country. Prohibition banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol in an attempt to civilize unruly Americans (and some other reasons). The experiment had many unintended consequences, but most dangerously, it fostered the rise of organized crime and the American Mafia. 3:51m watch 3 Artistic Movements of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was an explosion of African American art, literature, music and intellectual thought, centered in Harlem, New York that shaped modern Black identity and influenced American culture. Surrealism Surrealism is an artistic and literary movement that was inspired by Sigmund Freud’s theories of dreams and the unconscious. Surrealists created imagery that was impossible in reality, juxtaposing unlikely forms onto unimaginable landscapes. Art Deco Art Deco is a sleek, modern design style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s. It’s characterized by bold geometric patterns and streamlined forms. Art Deco influenced architecture, fashion, automobiles and graphic arts and is epitomized by Radio City Music Hall and the Chrysler Building in New York City. Explore All Related Topics AllArticlesVideos 1920s The Roaring TwentiesProhibition1921 Tulsa Race MassacreFlappersHarlem Renaissance 1920sRoute 66: 101—The Bunion Derby Begins In 1928, an unknown Cherokee farm boy joins a brutal cross-country footrace designed to promote Route 66, risking his life for a prize that could save his family’s land. 7 Writers of the Harlem Renaissance These writers were part of the larger cultural movement centered in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood and offered complex portraits of Black life in America. Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance marked a golden age in Black culture. What Happened at the Scopes Trial? One hundred years ago, a misdemeanor trial in the town of Dayton, Tennessee captured the world's attention as a high school teacher stood accused of violating a state law that prohibited teaching evolution. Advertisement Scopes Trial The Scopes Trial, or the Scopes Monkey Trial, was a 1925 trial in which Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan debated the teaching of evolution in schools. The Night Prohibition Ended Look back at America’s surprising reaction to the end of Prohibition. Prohibition The Prohibition Era began in 1920 when the 18th Amendment outlawed liquor sales per the Volstead Act, but in 1932 the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition. How Flappers of the Roaring Twenties Redefined Womanhood Young women with short hairstyles, cigarettes dangling from their painted lips, dancing to a live jazz band, explored new-found freedoms. Advertisement Advertisement The Roaring Twenties A burst of prosperity and freedom during the Prohibition era. Flappers Flappers were young, independent American women who became a cultural force in the 1920s as they challenged barriers to economic, political and sexual freedom. 1920sFlashback: Scopes Monkey Trial The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial was one of the most important legal battles of its time. Two of the greatest speakers of the era, Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan, faced off in a debate encompassing science, religion, and Constitutional rights. 2:17m watch Getting Hired by Thomas Edison Once Meant Passing This Near-Impossible Test Not even Albert Einstein passed the Edison test. Advertisement ‘Black Wall Street’ Before, During and After the Tulsa Race Massacre: PHOTOS Historic images of Tulsa's Greenwood district reveal how the 1921 mob attack devastated the nation's Black cultural and economic mecca. How Prohibition Led to the Creation of NASCAR It wasn’t gasoline—but moonshine—that fueled the growth of stock car racing in Appalachia and led to the rise of NASCAR. What Role Did Airplanes Play in the Tulsa Race Massacre? Were airplanes used in the Tulsa Race Massacre? Explore eyewitness accounts, historical evidence and the debate over aerial attacks in 1921. The Tulsa Race Massacre: Facts About the Attack The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 destroyed Black Wall Street in Greenwood, Tulsa. Load more Advertisement