American Heroes in the 1920s

During the Nineteen-Twenties, an era of prosperity and indulgence, there came an emergence of American heroes.  These heroes provided the American public with role models and a sense of hope and enlightenment after World War I and a depression.

Many of these heroes came from the newly popular sports.  City dwellers often sought for relaxation and entertainment which was often found in sports.  Perhaps the most popular was baseball which gained the most fame and the largest following during this time period.  People poured into baseball stadiums to watch their favorite stars play; a recreation that provided an enjoyable past time and an escape from their every day lives.  This new love of sports catapulted the players into fame, the most talented ones being dubbed as heroes; among these were legends such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.  As players in the infamous "American past time" they served as role models for the masses and provided a source for lighthearted leisure.

One of the most significant and most cherished "American heroes" of the Twenties was Charles Lindbergh.  He was a young man that flew from New York to Paris (over the Atlantic) in a single seated, single engine plane, something that had never been done before.  He was greatly admired for the courage, ability, and tenacity needed to complete the dangerous and taxing task of single-handedly flying an airplane for 33 1/2 hours.  Lindbergh was the epitome of a clean cut, successful young man, someone that had achieved greatness, someone that other impressionable adolescents could mold themselves after.  The parade held for him after his historic flight was the largest one since the end of World War I, the incredible turnout for this event demonstrating the high pedestal on which Americans had placed him.