AFeature:

’20’s Decade in ReviewYour Decade! Readers Respond:Harlem Hits Home: Pg. 3Tears Shed by a Red: Pg. 4

The Decade in News:Headlights make Headlines: Pg. 5

Tennessee’s Monkey Trial: Pg. 7

Workers Unite Against Plight: Pg. 9

The Decade in Opinions:Who Wants a Drink?: Pg. 11

Pursuing the Truth: The Saco-Vanzetti Trial: Pg. 13

The Decade in People:Joined by Jazz: Pg. 16

Tense Times for Blacks and Whites: Pg. 18

The Decade in Entertainment:Play Ball!: Pg. 20

Top Films: Pg. 22

Memorable Quotes: Pg. 23

Dear Langston Hughes,

I really enjoyed your poem I, Too. It has inspired me to stand up for myself, and feel good about who I am. It has also showed me that I should be proud of the color of my skin, and not repent it. Your positive attitude is admirable. I think your poem will influence other colored people, and maybe even be the first tiny step to our people gaining some respect from the whites.

I, Too is about knowing that one day we all will be treated equal. It reminds us that even though we are people of color we too are Americans, and we too sing the national anthem. You eat in the kitchen alone every time visitors come, yet you laugh. You take an unpleasant situation and find amusement in it. However, I believe that what you are really trying to say through this poem is that there is nothing as powerful as the strength of a black slave who stands up for what is right. “Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, ‘Eat in the kitchen,’ then.”

So I think that we should all begin to stand up for what is right by doing small things for ourselves. If we would all take one small step for standing up ourselves it would eventually lead us to the bigger picture; the respect for and equal treatment of blacks.

Every small step we take individually, together amounts to one big step towards our freedom.

Sincerely,Savannah Turnquist

Readers Respond: Letters From You

Readers Respond: Letters From You

Dear Life Magazine,

Ten years ago, my family was changed forever. We had to endure something that my parents hoped to have moved away from when they came to America. By writing to you, I wanted others to know what I experienced; I want America to know the other side of the story.

I was born on July 4, 1880, in Russia. I don’t remember much about it, because at the age of 3, my family, which consisted of my young mother, father, brother, and me, immigrated to America from Russia. My parents hoped to build a better life for our family by moving to the United States.

Although we struggled and barely made a living, we were certainly happy. Shortly after the turn of the century, my brother and I had both found wives and moved out of my parent’s small, cramped home. Over the next few years, my brother and I began to establish our own families. In 1910, my mother and father died at the age of 55 and 57, respectively, due to influenza. Although it was hard losing both of our parents in the same year, my brother and I pushed through it together, like always.

Around 1913, my brother and I joined the Union of Russian Workers. At the time, it was mostly a social club and my brother and I were interested to learn more about our home country. We helped Russians who had recently immigrated to the United States and helped them learn to read and write in English. By 1919, we were fairly involved in the union.

I still remember the night it happened. Tensions had been building after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. We heard about many of the radicals and bombings happening around us. After work, we reported to the headquarters, which was often called the “Peoples House”. Just an hour after we arrived, around 9 o clock, we heard a loud bang on the front door. Seconds later, the headquarters erupted in chaos. At the door stood dozens of members of the New York

Police Department together with Federal law enforcement authorities, ready to put the union to an end.

All who attempted to escape were driven back into the building. I could see my brother, at the front of the crowd, being beaten to the ground. The sound of clubs hitting flesh echoed through my ears. In the midst of the chaos, I could see my brother and many others being forcefully dragged away. I desperately wanted to help him, but there was nothing I could do. Through the crowd of people, I saw his bloody body being stuffed in a wagon and taken off into the distance. Before I knew it, I was cornered and taken away to jail along with many others. The next day, I was questioned about my involvement in the Union. I told the interviewer my life story, and somehow was lucky enough to avoid being deported.

My brother, however, was not so lucky. Although he was innocent, and certainly was not a radical, he had nothing to prove it. Rights completely violated, he was one of the 249 sent away to Russia on the “Soviet Ark”.

To this day, I still have never heard from him. I would imagine he has attempted to come back to the United States, but with the new anti-immigration laws, I’m sure it has made it close to impossible. To make matters worse, a few years after he was shipped away, his wife died of tuberculosis. My wife and I were forced to take care of his 3 kids, putting an even larger financial burden on my family.

Although one day my brother might be able to make his way back to America, nothing will ever be the same. Even though noting can be done to change this, we can still learn from what has happened. Just because we are immigrants doesn’t mean we are all awful people. We aren’t all purposely trying to take all the jobs from America. We are just trying to survive in this cold, harsh world too.

Sincerely,Adam Berkman

Headlights Make Headlines

Over the past decade, we have seen vast improvements to the transpiration industry, which has dramatically changed American’s daily lives. No one can argue that Henry Ford is responsible for the recent explosion of new vehicles on the streets. However, cars aren’t the only method of transportation that has been transformed during this decade. Just a few years ago, Charles Lindbergh showed the world that airplanes are more reliable than

In 1913, Henry Ford applied the “scientific management” ideas of Frederick W. Taylor to the automobile manufacturing process. His new assembly line allowed for cars to be produced at a much faster rate. One Model T could be produced in just 90 minutes, compared to the 14 hours it previously had taken.

By 1925, the price for a Model T dropped to just $260. This, coupled with the introduction of installment plans, has made cars available to the mass public.

Ford’s Model T and his assembly line inspired many other companies to do the same. Although at the beginning of the decade half of the nations cars were Model Ts, by the mid 1920s, sales of the Model T began to decline due to increased competition.

In order to take on some of these competitors, in 1927, the Model A was introduced. This replaced the Model T after its long 18 year production. The Model A made various improvements and has certainly improved from its predecessor.

At the beginning of the decade, there were only 7 million cars in America. Now, there are over 23 million cars registered to Americans across the country.

“At the start of my career I would have never envisioned the extensive impact of the automobile,” said Henry Ford himself.

The widespread use of automobiles has made a huge cultural impact on America. The automobile has allowed farmers to travel to the city and workers to find cheaper housing further from their jobs.

The Decade in News

Headlights Make HeadlinesIn 1921, the Federal Highway Act called for 10,000 miles of highway a year

to be built. Since then, 90,000 miles of highway has been constructed across America, creating a spider web of roads that blankets the country.

Transportation has evolved in other ways too throughout the decade. Flying has become increasingly popular and has gained a lot of attention since the end of World War I.

World War I encouraged the development of airplanes for use as fighting machines. After the war, many pilots took up barnstorming, where groups of pilots toured America, entertaining the public. By paying $5 Americans could get a taste of what it was like to fly. So far, millions Americans have been able to experience the thrill of flying.

In 1927, one pilot emerged who changed the. Charles Lindbergh, who was once a barnstormer himself, made the first solo, non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in his plane, The Spirit of St. Louis. Since then, Americans have started to view flying in a new light. Recently, several companies have emerged providing commercial flights to those who can afford it. Experts predict that like the car, soon this will be accessible to the average American.

However, after the vast amounts of change we have seen in just this decade, one can only imagine on what will come in the ensuing years.

-By Christopher Ratton

The Decade in News

Tennessee’s Monkey Trial

TENNESSEE-July 21, 1925 saw the final day of The State of Tennessee v. Scopes, informally referred to as the Monkey Trial, in which teacher John Thomas Scopes was tried for violation of the Butler Act. The act illegalizes teaching evolution in Tennessee’s public schools. Mr. Scopes was represented by well-known defense attorney and agnostic Clarence Darrow, while 3-time presidential candidate and devout Christian William Jennings Bryan served as the prosecution’s key witness. Across the country, people listened to the nation’s first radio-broadcast court case. After seven days in court, Scopes was found guilty of violating the act and fined $100. When asked by the court about its ruling, Scopes replied, “I will continue in the future, as I have in the past, to oppose this law in any way I can….I think

the fine is unjust.”

While the aim of the case was to determine Scopes’ guilt, many of the emotionally charged arguments from either side addressed the merit of the law itself. Mr. Scopes was approached by the American Civil Liberties Union, opponents of the Butler Act, to make a point by being tried for violating it. The ACLU hoped to take on the law itself, but Darrow instead wanted to dismiss the idea that evolution was in conflict with religion. The highly publicized trial became, in essence, a battle of beliefs between William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow.

Bryan insisted that the Bible be taken word-for-word, while Darrow continued to assert that science was not inconsistent with religion. Darrow brought in eight witnesses from

various scientific fields, including a zoologist from Johns Hopkins University. Seven of Darrow’s witnesses, however, were not allowed by the judge to appear in person and could only submit written statements. The jury was not present during the defense’s presentation, and ultimately, the judge ruled that much of the defense’s questioning was irrelevant to the case and should not be presented to the jury. This left the defense completely out of witnesses. In a surprising move, Darrow asked to cross-examine his opponent William Jennings Bryan, calling him a “bible expert.”

The Decade in News

Tennessee’s Monkey TrialDuring

Darrow’s cross-examination of Bryan, Darrow questioned Bryan on various events of the bible, including miracles and the creation story. Darrow pressed Bryan for scientific answers to the questions in an effort to prove that the stories should not be taught in science classrooms. The two men became engaged in a heated exchange of ideas, with Bryan claiming Darrow’s questioning served only to “cast ridicule on everybody who believes in the Bible.” Darrow replied that the purpose was to prevent “bigots and ignoramuses from controlling education in the United States.” The two men were finally stopped when the judge ruled that the examination was not relevant to the case.

By 1927, only two short years after the controversial trial, 13

states had passed laws against teaching evolution. The case has since become one of the most publicized of the decade, not only for the direct matter of Scopes’ guilt, but for bringing to the surface the tensions in religious and scientific communities for the past 50 years. The Butler Act is still in effect today.

-By Rachel Sandle

The Decade in News

Workers Unite Against Plight

April 9, 1928 – Bedford, Mass., United States – On this day area textile mill owners announced a 10 percent wage cut for workers in the region. In response the textile workers of Bedford, Mass. launched into action with the formation of two new labor unions; The Textile Council and The Textile Mill Committee. Strikes began almost immediately in an attempt to reverse the cuts.

At the beginning of this century, the textile industry was booming. Schools were built, small businesses prospered, and banks enjoyed success as workers spent and saved their incomes. However around 1920 the economy began to decline, and many textile factories went out of business. The decline resulted in large part from overproduction and excessive wages paid to top textile officials. Instead of decreasing production and cutting back executive wages,, the manufacturers imposed pay cuts.

The resulting labor unions differed greatly, although they shared a common goal. The Textile Council was headed by William E.G. Batty, with the help of Frank Manning. This group was consisted of skilled workers i.e. white

males, who for the most part had more support from the police, city officials, and the media. The Textile Mill Committee, or TMC, in contrast was made up of unskilled French-Canadian, Polish, Portuguese and Cape Verdean workers who had been excluded from the Textile Council because of underlying prejudices. TMC’s prominent leaders and organizers included Fred Beal, William Murdoch, Eula Mendes, Joseph Figueiredo and Jack Rubenstein. In addition to the reversal of the 10 percent wage cut, TMC also demanded a 20 percent wage increase, a 40-hour work week, equal pay, and the elimination child labor. Ultimately, it was TMC’s goal to unite all textile workers under a single union; however, the difference between the two unions made it impossible for them to reconcile.

The Decade in News

Workers Unite Against Plight

Eventually as numbers increased, violence broke out, and police forces were pressured by city officials and business owners to control the strikes. As the strike continued into winter months, members of the unions began to worry about starvation. They sought ways to reverse the wage cuts and return to their former jobs in the textile mills.

In an attempt to moderate the dispute and end the violence, a third group inserted itself into the negotiation process; the Citizens Mediation Committee for the Textile Council. While negotiating new wages, TMC was excluded from meetings between the Textile Council and the Citizens Mediation Committee for the Textile Council. At first, instead of increasing wages, the Citizens Mediation Committee proposed a speed up in production, which was immediately opposed by the

council. Finally, on September 25th, 1928, the State Board and the Citizens Mediation Committee met the Textile Council proposing a five percent wage cut and a thirty day notification preceding any wage cut by the company in the future. Although TMC attempted to persuade the Textile Council into refusing the offer, seven labor unions, including the Textile Council voted in favor of the compromise. While members of the Textile Council returned to the factory following the agreement, TMC continued to protest and a majority of its members never returned to the mills.

-By Danielle Hoard

The Decade in News

Who Wants a Drink?After years of waiting around,

drinking nothing but water and juices, who wants a proper drink? WHO wants to buy a drink of beer? I do! In 1919, a decade ago, the constitution added the dreaded 18th

amendment outlawing the selling, manufacturing, and transporting of alcohol. From then on to present day, no one has been able to savor and experience the freedoms of beer and alcohol; the economy has been slipping; the national government is corrupt; and so many protests are stopping the daily life of citizens. These problems need a course of action, and FAST! Repeal Prohibition TODAY!

The 18th amendment was passed in 1919, outlawing the selling, manufacturing, and transportation of alcohol. This caused much uproar among the youth in the United States. Our nation is made on selling and trading our goods for profit, which helps our society and the economy of the United States. Beer is one of the products that we produced before the law went into effect. It was part of our staple diet; it represented the freedom of the United States, and it helped make millions of dollars for our country, benefiting greatly to the American economy. Unfortunately, with the law, the U.S. has fallen behind the world in trade, economics, and profit. Our society has been torn apart, causing many other problems.

The Government passed the law in the first place, because they had “supposedly” heard that alcoholic men would come home to their wives and beat them, splitting families apart and causing far too many divorces. They

also stated that alcoholics would be unemployed, economically and morally bankrupt bums.

With the prohibition law into effect, the national government has been trying to catch the illegal drinks coming into the country with its sellers. But, what the government is not telling you is that they are spending your tax money on catching the illegal persons. YOUR tax money! But they never catch the crimes; they are wasting OUR money on a search that is perfectly useless and dumb. This money that they are wasting is ours to spend on something that is worth-while to the nation. They have been doing this “investigation” for a number of years now, going unnoticed by the American People; this is not right, and does NOT display the true meaning of a government we need. Why don’t we just repeal the law on prohibition and save millions of dollars at the same time?

The law on prohibition has also seen an increase in crime nationwide. Gangsters roam the streets, with guns and weapons, looking for trouble, and demanding for their alcohol. Smugglers are frequent along our nation’s borders, trying to get illegal drinks in from other countries; it works, but is a very dangerous job.

People are even making their own alcohol, or moonshine, to get a taste of the drink, causing more fights. Violence and smuggling is not the answer of the United States; if we get our alcohol, there will be a decrease in the number of crimes because the people of America would have got what they were fighting for.

The Decade in Opinions

By Joshua Chanin

Who Wants a Drink?

The 18th amendment has destroyed the country that we used to know; we are all heading into the wrong direction. The law has caused uproars and protests, which disrupt the American life and leaves us to live in a decade of terror and fear. Our economy has decreased, producing no money because of any trade and profits from alcohol. Crime has increased; with many gangsters guarding the roads and making us shiver down the backs. Smugglers haunt the nation boarders. The national government has no reasons to protect their law, as they are spending OUR money on useless searches for illegal stuff, and get no results. Our country is balancing on the tip; it’s your choice, but repealing Prohibition will help us GREATLY!

The Decade in Opinions

By Joshua Chanin

Pursuing the Truth: The Saco-Vanzetti Trial

On April 15, 1920 the actions of two individuals would spark a debate that lasted nearly the whole decade. In the most notorious political trial of the decade, Nicola Sacco and Bartolommeo Vanzetti were eventually sentenced to death after a very weak prosecution that consisted of very little solid evidence. One can certainly question the innocence of both Sacco and Vanzetti, but in the midst of the largest political repression America has ever seen, it is obvious that their rights were in violation.

On April 15, 1920, around 3:00 in the afternoon, a paymaster and his guard were carrying a payroll of $15, 776. Two men pulled out guns and fired on them, killing both the paymaster and the guard. The gunmen took the cash boxes and took off in their automobile that was waiting for them. The gang, which consisted of four or five people, drove off. This type of robbery was not uncommon, and at first, it only attracted local interest.

3 weeks later, on the evening of May 5, 1920, two Italians, Nicola Sacco and Bartolommeo Vanzetti, fell into a police trap that was actually set for another suspect. However, since both men were carrying guns, when questioned by the authorities they lied, and they subscribed to a local anarchists news paper both men were arrested and held for the murder and robbery. Although the prosecution was weak, Sacco and Vanzetti

were unable to secure a written alibi. After a hard-fought trial of six weeks, the jury found Sacco and Vanzetti guilty of robbery and murder on July 14, 1921. 6 years of protests and appeals failed, and in August 1927, Sacco and Vanzetti were put to death by the electric chair.

Some argue that Sacco and Vanzetti were given a fair trial, and that the evidence stacks up against them. They say that Sacco and Vanzetti didn’t deserve a retrial because the first rightfully convicted the two men. The first piece of evidence given by the prosecution was that seven eyewitnesses placed Sacco at the scene of the crime. Also, Sacco was absent from his job on the day of the crime and lied about his whereabouts when he was initially arrested. Vanzetti, on the other hand, had 4 witnesses place him at the crime scene. Vanzetti also lied when he was arrested and both men were caught with a gun. On top of all that, both men subscribed to Cronaca Sovversiva, know to be the most influential anarchist journal in America.

The average person might say that these facts alone are enough to convict the two men. However, one can easy refute each of these points, and that is exactly what the defense attempted to do. Unfortunately, it probably didn’t matter what the defense said, because the Judge and Jury were set on convicting the two Italian men.

The Decade in Opinions

By Christopher Ratton

Pursuing the Truth: The Saco-Vanzetti Trial

First of all, none of the eyewitnesses that said they saw Sacco and Vanzetti could confirm it was actually them. The witnesses were not required to pick the men out of a line-up and several of the closest witnesses to the crime were not able to identify either of the them. A witness even said himself “I don’t think I have the right to say he is the man.”

Sacco and Vanzetti both admitted they lied because the feared that if he told the truth about his radical beliefs he would likely be deported. On top of that, two defense experts testified that one of the bullets could not have been fired from Sacco's Colt.

On top of the weak evidence, the attitudes of both the Judge and the Jury show how unfair and biased the trial really was. Both Judge Webster and Attorney General Palmer said that foreigners and anarchists “deserved no consideration.” Walter Ripley, who was the foreman of the jury, believed that regardless of the men’s actual innocence or guilt “they ought to hang them anyway.” The bias of the Judge and Jury is completely unconstitutional and there is no doubt they affected the results of the case.

Although the question of their innocence will forever be up in the air, no one can deny that the rights of both Sacco and Vanzetti were completely violated in their trial. Because their rights were

violated, and the case was not given full consideration by the judge, we will forever be haunted by the notorious question: who really did it?

The Decade in Opinions

By Christopher Ratton

Joined By Jazz

The smell of sweat and whisky fills the air as a young black man takes his place on stage. He looks out into the sea of people gathered at The Cotton Club tonight, and his palms begin to sweat. He slowly brings the trumpet to his lips and begins to play an upbeat tune that his father used to whistle while he worked during his days on the plantation. Soon he is accompanied by another man playing a steady beat on the drums. Blacks and whites alike are swaying along with the melodic tune he’s creating. Tonight all races are united by one thing: Jazz.

After the long journey from New Orleans, Jazz music has found its new home in Harlem, New York.

The Decade in People

In the process of the great migration of blacks to northern cities, they have brought with them the spirit of the south resulting in a new kind of music. After first planting its roots in Chicago soil, its branches have extended all the way to Harlem, contributing to the already thriving culture and arts that exist there.

Although this music was brought to the forefront by African Americans, Jazz is comprised of several cultural influences. African Tribal music was originally brought to America by West African Slaves in the days of slavery around 1808. This music was used both in work and in rituals for blacks, which included work songs and field hollers, as well as hymns. Without the European concept of harmony, the music lacked the melodic quality that would be popular with the American public. However, this genre of music was about to evolve into a form of music that all Americans, regardless of race, would travel miles to experience.

Due to the abolition of slavery, new education opportunities for free African Americans became available. Although strict segregation in the South left blacks with limited employment options, they were able to find work in entertainment. This led to an increase in black musicians, as many began to learn to play European instruments ,such as the violin, starting around the 19th century. The venues these black musicians performed at included brothels as well as minstrel shows. Although these African American musicians had humble beginnings, they were soon about to receive the recognition they deserved as they would soon introduce Jazz to the people of the “Big Easy”.

Joined By JazzThe music of New Orleans had a

definite impact on the creation of Jazz. In addition to dance bands, New Orleans was home to several marching bands which played at funerals for both the African American and European communities. The instruments used in these marching bands would eventually become the basic instruments of jazz; brass, reeds, and drums. Post- civil war, the country has also begun to experience a “Great Migration”, as blacks are traveling north to escape the Jim Crow Laws found in the South today.

The Decade in People

Though it has been a long journey, Jazz music as well as African American musicians have finally found their big break in a time of prohibition.At the beginning of the 1920’s, the U.S began prohibiting alcohol with the passage of the 18th

amendment that still exists today. At this time, large crowds first began to flock to speakeasies in order to obtain alcohol. These venues also became lively spots for Jazz, which eventually made appearances in clubs such as The Grand Terrance Café, and eventually The Cotton Club. As this new wave of music has spread from South to North, East to West, it’s safe to say we’ve only experienced just a taste of what’s to come from Jazz Music.

The young black man continues to hypnotize the crowd with his improvisational skills on the trumpet. As the song comes to an end and the symbols crash, the crowd roars with excitement and applause. It was forty three years ago that black men were for the first time no longer considered property, and now this African American man is owning the stage. Jazz music has not only united Americans with this common music, but has empowered blacks with a sense of pride and achievement. As Jazz music has found its home in Harlem, black musicians have found their home on stage.

-By Danielle Hoard

Tense Times for Blacks and Whites

A frigid winter wind bites the faces of the people of Detroit, Michigan. Men, women, and children trot down the streets, pulling their coats up to their chins and shielding their eyes from the bitter gale. People stop to talk and look in shops, then hurry on to escape the cold. One wouldn’t know it by looking, but the icy weather mirrors the city’s atmosphere: cold and tense.

A recent influx of Southern blacks to Detroit has everyone wound tight; the new residents fear increased competition in already-limited job opportunities. Detroit is not the only city that has been affected. Across the country, blacks are leaving their homes in the South and seeking refuge in the North from segregation laws and public lynchings. These unwelcome new residents put whites on edge about the already limited job opportunities. Many blacks in Detroit claim the tension stems not from financial worry, but from racism. Meanwhile, Thomas Hansen, longtime Detroit resident, lost his job last week, having been replaced with a black man who agreed to work for a lower wage.

“It’s not about race,” he asserts. “It’s got nothing to do with that. I just think that if a man’s lived in Detroit his whole life, he’s got more a right to that job than someone who just moved.” Hansen is also upset by the apparent under-

qualification of the city’s new blacks for the jobs. “I am an educated man. Are you telling me that just anyone, even if they haven’t been to school, can step in and take my job?”

Hansen and his family may face eviction in the coming months if his job hunt is unsuccessful. His wife, who worked throughout the Great War, worries about feeding and schooling the couple’s two children. Hansen says she lost her job at the end of the war upon the return of the soldiers to Detroit. Though he has been supportive of her attempts to seek employment, he knows she will be unsuccessful.

“If I can’t find a job,” he muses, “how could she?”

In a recently developed Negro neighborhood on the other side of Detroit, Johnny Lewis scoffs at Hansen’s comments. He, too, is unemployed and struggling to find a job. Lewis says he is disappointed, but not surprised, by his difficulty in finding a job. Unlike Hansen, Lewis did not graduate high school.

“Any white man will tell you it’s not prejudice,” he says in response to Hansen’s statements. “It’s not about blacks and whites if you just look right on the surface. But none of us [colored people] can get a job unless we agree to a lower wage.

The Decade in People

Tense Times for Blacks and Whites

If that’s not prejudice, I don’t know what is.” Lewis and his family came to Detroit to escape dangers he says they faced in the South, hoping to raise his children in a safer environment. The man alleges that, although, life in the North is safer, it is still rough. Although towns and cities are not segregated by law, even in the North, blacks always live separately from whites.

Lewis is glad to be free from the grasp of the Ku Klux Klan, who he says regularly “terrorized” his neighborhood. His relief may not last long, however, as the Klan, a self-described Christian values organization, is rapidly gaining popularity in Northern states. In fact, Thomas Hansen proudly proclaims himself the Klan’s newest member.

“The Klan is about getting back to American roots. It’s about tradition, right over wrong, and living in the Lord’s path.”

While the public has generally been supportive or apathetic towards the Ku Klux Klan, Johnny Lewis says he and everyone in the neighborhood may be forced to uproot their lives once more if the Klan continues to grow in popularity.

In truth, Hansen’s outrage at the recently arrived Negro population is not entirely justified. The mass movement hasincreased competition for jobs, but it is one of many factors that stand in the way of employment-seekers. In addition to more people seeking jobs, there are also fewer jobs available due to the recent drop in production. While racial tensions in our country have reached a boiling point, only time will tell if they cool down or bubble over.

-by Rachel Sandle

The Decade in People

Play Ball!

The Decade in Entertainment

Babe Ruth hitting one of his many home runs

Who wants to play some ball? That has been the question on many sports fan’s minds during this decade. In these twenties, the United States has experienced growth in economic and social power; sports have also become a major hit, soaring high and gaining the attention of fans nationwide. More people are working less than usual because of the new laws limiting work hours, and using more of their free leisure time to play ball. Also more people have money to spend, so they pay it out on sports. No wonder we are so crazy about our sports!

The most popular sport this decade has been baseball. The crowd turn-outs at every single game have been outstanding, as fans travel from places far away just to see a good game of ball. One of the greatest players the United States has seen in this decade is Babe Ruth. Born in 1895 in Baltimore, Maryland, Ruth’s childhood was described as “rough”, for nearly all his family members passed away from illnesses. Whilst in school, Ruth started playing baseball, and got the attention of Jack Dunn, the owner of the minor-league Baltimore Orioles. In 1914, Ruth played for the Boston Red Sox, capturing many World Series championship titles. In 1920, he moved to his current team, the New York Yankees. On this team, he has displayed sportsmanship to all his teammates, and has been awarded a prestigious honor; the Major League Baseball most valuable player (1923). Ruth is known to fans, for his hard home-run hitting and his charming personality, which draws the crowd in, just to get a glimpse of the great American player.

By Joshua Chanin

Play Ball!

The Negro Baseball Leagues have also produced some talent. Players like Josh Gibson and James Bell have hit hard and become heroes in their Negro societies.

Football’s popularity is on the rise, as many fans sit back with popcorn and soda in hands, watching the quarterbacks throw and the receivers catch. Harold Grange has established himself as the most popular football player of all time. Born in 1903, Grange was a notable high school athlete, leading his football team to an undefeated season in his junior year. He has played for the Chicago Bears, before he switched over to the New York Yankees in 1926. His awards include being the first athlete to be featured on the front cover of Time Magazine. He is best known for his many scoring touchdowns and catches. This athlete is a one to watch in future years to come, as he draws abundant crowds into the football stadium.

Apart from football and baseball, other sports have also gained nationwide attention. Bobby Jones has played perfectly in golf, winning his first U.S. Open competition in 1923. Tennis players like William Tilden, first American man to win singles at Wimbledon, and Helen Wills, who has won every match she has played since 1927, both have made their sport popular. Olympic gold medalist, Gertrude Ederle swam the English Channel in record- breaking time; a huge feat. Boxing has become attractive with the matches of Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney in 1926 and 1927. It was reported that ten people nationwide got heart attacks because they were so excited. Why are we so crazy about our sports?

By Joshua Chanin

The Decade in Entertainment

Best Films of the DecadeBy Joshua Chanin

The Decade in Entertainment

This decade saw the first movie with sound called “The Jazz Singer” come out (1927), and changed the movie industry greatly. The story begins with a young Jewish boy named Jakie Rabinowitz who defies the traditions of his family by singing popular tunes and music in the beer halls. Soon, after getting punished by his strict father, Jackie runs away from home, spending several years becoming a talented jazz singer. Throughout the movie, Jackie attempts to build a career as a professional singer, but gets caught with his ambition and the demands of his home and heritage. The movie is a definite picture to see for all age groups. It is the first movie of its kind, and it will path way to new movies equipped with sound and music. Starring America’s most famous entertainer, Al Jolson, who gives the film its lively and happy spirit, the movie is very enjoyable, with jazz put into the picture for more laughs and giggles than you could imagine.

Reflecting back, the 1920’s have been a decade of change and new innovations, and change has come to the movies.

“The Kid”, which came out in the first part of this decade (1921) also provides laughs. Starring America’s silent actor, Charlie Chaplin, the story depicts of Little Tramp (Chaplin) who one day fins an abandoned baby in an alley, and promises to take care of him. When the boy gets older, he becomes Little Tramp’s partner in crime, but unfortunately gets caught and is taken away. In the end, the film has an emotional and desperate and affecting search for the young boy. Chaplin produced a good quality film, even though it was a silent picture; I would recommend this movie to all. Chaplin also displays confidence in his acting, and he definitely adds to the humor in this movie as a whole.

I love animation and cartoons, and that is why I recommend you seeing Walt Disney’s “Plane Crazy”. Drawn by UbIwerks, the cartoon depicts the story of Mickey Mouse, a young and adventurous mouse who is trying to impersonate Charles Lindbergh and builds an airplane on his own. The short is about his wild adventures on building the plane and trying to fly it in the air. I would definitely recommend this short for your kids, who would laugh all the way. It is a shame that it is only six minutes.

Memorable Quotes

“Mr. President how long must women wait to get their liberty? Let us have the rights we deserve.”- Alice Paul "The business of

America is business” –Calvin Coolidge

“You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”-Al Capone

The Decade in Entertainment