Agents of Change in the 1920s

Naomi Zimmermann

Agents of Change during the 1920s

Urbanization

Urbanization was one of the main reasons that there was so much change and reform during the 1920s all across the US. The cities were centers of progress and ideas being shared, and people were constantly pushing the boundaries. Those who had been oppressed in previous years were able to truly exercise their rights given to them, including blacks and women. Both groups had been given the right to vote (with the 15th Amendment for black men and the 19th Amendment for women), and the city was a place where progressive ideals took root and empowered those who had been oppressed.

The flappers/vamps and the Harlem Renaissance were both movements to modernize US society and change the social norms that had inhibited society before the Great War. The flappers and the vamps are an example of this for women, as they redefined what it meant to be a woman. While being quiet and subject to a father or husband's requests had been the job of women before, a new group of women was pushing these boundaries by wearing more revealing clothing, wearing their hair in short bobs, smoking and drinking, and being much more promiscuous and outgoing than what was socially acceptable of women before this. According to The Dandy, Flappers encouraged women to break free of previous Victorian era gender roles, which included working. They represented the new and modern society of women who were swept up in the 20s era of consumerism and free will. The Harlem Renaissance was also an example of how black culture developed and redefined itself in some cities. It was a cultural, literal, artistic, and intellectual movement that created the “new negro”, a black person who was proud of who he/she is and had endless opportunities, truly exemplifying the American Dream.

Consumerism

The growing consumerism also dramatically transformed American society at this time. This was particularly because of mass consumerism of technology. Two of the main technological inventions that became widely consumed by people all across the nation(especially in urban areas) were the radio and the incandescent light bulb. The light bulb created longer days and contributed to a more active night life, especially in cities, which included flappers/vamps and drinking despite the prohibition, both symbols of the change that took place during this era. The radio provided equal distribution of information across the nation and united many people because they all were able to talk about the same things they’d heard.

Consumerism was able to grow because of the rise of credit use, advertising, and the mass production of goods. Mass production provided the goods, but credit was what allowed people to buy them. Credit allowed the consumer to borrow money, usually from banks, and pay it back later. So, many people bought products that they wouldn’t have been able to afford  before. Advertising became much more prominent and accessible to all through the spread of technology, and it convinced consumers that they needed a certain product, thus driving up consumer rates. The mass production of goods from factories and unskilled workers provided a lot more goods that could be put onto the market and also created more competition to create the best version of a product between companies.

Links:

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/harlem-renaissance

http://www.thedandy.org/home/flappers-and-the-roaring-20-s