Cultural Conflicts of 1920

Annabelle Corrales

Mrs. Godinez

AP US History P.5

4 April 2016

LEQ

        The 1920's, what we refer to today as "The Roaring Twenties" is usually described as being the era of jazz, dancing, partying, and good times for the most part. Throughout the past decades the image of the twenties that we should have has been altered and disillusioned. The twenties were a time of major social and political change. The citizens of America had entered the twenties being influenced by the aftermath of the war such as all the migration that had occurred and the Progressive Movement which had left many on good terms but for some, they were left behind, and were not able to be a part of the wealthy lifestyles that many were living. The twenties is surely one of the most dynamic decades but along with its good times and good music there were social, political, and cultural conflicts within the nation.

        During the war a lot of propaganda was used. They needed to advertise so more men would join the war effort. What better way to persuade someone into something than buy building up their emotions a bit about it? The propaganda that was used at the time however used sometimes very prejudicial messages. A man named George Creel was very big on creating posters that were anti-German. The people of America quickly hopped up the bandwagon for anti German sentiment and soon almost the entire country hated Germany. It was so simple to convince nation that a certain group of people should be hated just as Hitler convinced the

Germans about the Jews. The Germans however were not the only ones being targeted by this type of propaganda, blacks were also a big target.

        During the mid twenties, the white supremacy group commonly known as the KKK had nearly five million members. This group did not think highly of any race if they were not white. They believed in inflicting torture and abuse among Jews, Catholics, and black. America developed the entire idea of racially discriminating a certain minority but it sure took a turn for the worse. America was a land of many ethnicities when we look back at it now but to the people that lived then, no one was more superior than the whites all because of the prejudice propaganda used in WW1.

        The twenties were a time of awakening for many people. African Americans of the south were moving to the northern part of the country for better lives. It was known the white northerners were much more welcoming to the blacks rather than in the south. This period of relocating from the north to the south became known as the Great Migration. Blacks were expanding across the country and were expressing their culture and social customs freely. African American influence was slowly making its way out and incorporating itself into society. Many whites were angered by the spread of black influence in the country and this sparked the fire for more hate crimes against blacks. More white joined the KKK during this decade and truly believed that they were more superior than the other races that wished to live peacefully among them.