On this page: Prohibition | Jazz Age | Harlem Renaissance
prohibition
📖 Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition by Karen Blumenthal. Read about America's historic attitudes toward alcohol, the causes and (unintended) consequences of the prohibition movement, and key figures of the Era—from Carrie Nation to Al Capone—in this nonfiction book. Includes plenty of contemporary art and photos. – Middle • High
▶️ What happened when the United States tried to ban alcohol from TED-Ed. “On January 17, 1920, less than one hour after spirits had become illegal throughout the United States, armed men robbed a Chicago freight train and made off with thousands of dollars worth of whiskey. It was a first taste of the unintended consequences of Prohibition. So what exactly was Prohibition, and why did it happen?” – All
jazz age
📖 Jazz by Walter Dean Myers and Chris Myers. This award-winning picture book tribute to jazz is a great choice to accompany a study of the Roaring 20s. The introduction explains how jazz is distinct from other kinds of music and places the form into historical context. The rest of the book is a poetic tribute to the Jazz Age. – Elementary
harlem renaissance
📖 I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes and Bryan Collier. The text of Hughes’ classic poem is enhanced by Collier’s thoughtful illustrations in this picture book version of I, Too, Am America. An endnote by Collier gives information about the Pullman porters featured in his illustrations. – Preschool • Elementary
📖 Harlem Renaissance Party by Faith Ringgold. Travel back in time to 1920s Harlem and meet some of the towering figures of the Harlem Renaissance, from Langston Hughes to WEB DuBois to Zora Neale Hurston. – Elementary
📖 Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renee Watson. This is a nice picture book biography of Florence Mills, who overcome racial prejudice to become an acclaimed singer. – Elementary
📖 Dave at Night by Gail Carson Levine. This novel is set in Harlem during the 1920s. An orphaned boy is sent to live in the Hebrew Home for Boys in Harlem. At night, he sneaks out and experiences the wonders of the Harlem Renaissance scene. – Middle
