Download Jazz Age

BELLWORK
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Read “At the Movies” on pg, 386-387 and
answer the following questions:
What was the first movie with sound?
How much did a movie cost?
How did the movie theatres promote
equality between all Americans?
Who was Rudolph Valentino?
THINKER: Describe the type of scandals
President Harding was involved with.
THE JAZZ AGE
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The Jazz Age
symbolizes
modernization in
the 1920’s.
Movies
Music
Dance
Fashion
Literature
African Americans
1920’s Movies
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In the early 1920’s, films were silent with the
exception of a piano playing live in the theatre.
Movies typically cost $0.05 - $0.10
Movies completely changed after The Jazz
Singer was produced in 1927 – this became the
first movie with sound.
These new films were called “talkies.”
1920’s Movie Stars
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Charlie Chaplin
 Started career in silent
films
 Became the most famous
film star after WWI
 Used comedy mixed with
visual performance like
miming, slapstick &
dance.
 Successfully transitioned
to talkies, even though
most silent film actors
failed at this.
1920’s Movie Stars
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Greta Garbo
 One of the most popular
stars of the silent/sound
era
 Romantic life became the
subject of gossip/tabloids
 When talkies became
popular, she had to take
extensive voice lessons
to decrease her Swedish
accent
 Appeared in 27 films and
received 4 Oscar
nominations
1920’s Movie Stars
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Buster Keaton
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Jobyna Ralston
LOST GENERATION
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Group of disillusioned American authors who lived in
Paris in the 1920's and 1930's
Generation of young people in the United States
shortly after World War I
Coined by Gertrude Stein, who said, “You are all a
Lost Generation” in a conversation to Ernest
Hemmingway
Characteristics of "Lost Generation" Authors:
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youthful idealism
sought the meaning of life
drank a lot
rejected modern American materialism
Lost Generation Authors
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Ernest Hemmingway
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Gertrude Stein
Lost Generation Authors
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After WWI, many
Americans wanted to
forget about world
problems and just have
fun.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
book, The Great Gatsby,
he creates an illusion of
unending prosperity that
resulted in empty,
morally bankrupt lives.
This is a key theme/idea
of Lost Generation
literature!
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F. Scott Fitzgerald
HARLEM RENAISSANCE
Renaissance =
Rebirth
 Started in Harlem,
New York City
 Art, literature, and
music revolving
around African
Americans.
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1920’s Music: Jazz
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Began in New Orleans and
moved north during the Great
Migration.
Started within African
American culture
Centered in NYC & Chicago
Often times, they did not
write the music down and
used unconventional
instruments: cowbells, horns,
rattles, gongs, kitchen
utensils, cymbals, screams,
etc.
Embodied the spirit of the
“roaring 20’s”
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Joseph “King” Oliver
1920’s Music: Jazz
Louis Armstrong
 Influential Jazz
singer and trumpet
player
 Invented “scat”
singing
 Considered one of
the best musicians
of all time
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1920’s Music: Jazz
 Duke
Ellington
 Influential jazz
singer/composer
 Invented big band
1920’s Music: Blues
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Gertrude “Ma” Rainey
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The blues grew out of
work songs and field
chants of enslaved
African Americans
Typically a sad or somber
message
Centered in Chicago
Eventually evolved into
rhythm & blues. (You
might know this as R&B)
1920’s Music: Blues
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Bessie Smith
Considered the
“empress of blues”
Later, she
transitioned into
jazz
Major influence of
jazz and blues
musicians
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How do you think white Americans
responded to the growing popularity of
jazz?
Harlem Renaissance Art
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Characteristics:
Racial pride
Challenging racism
and stereotypes
Promotes
racial/social
integration
Use of vibrant colors
Goal was to “uplift”
the race
Harlem
Renaissance Art
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Aaron Douglas
“Building more
Stately
Mansions”
Harlem
Renaissance
Art
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William Johnson
“Art Class”
Harlem Renaissance Art
Harlem Renaissance Poetry
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Themes of Harlem
Renaissance poetry
mirrored those of the
artwork at the time.
Highlighted racial
tensions in America
Called for racial pride
Langston Hughes was
the most famous
Harlem Renaissance
poet, artist, and writer
Langston Hughes Poem: I, Too
(1925)
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh, and eat well, and grow strong.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,“ Then.
Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed –
I, too, am America.
Langston Hughes Poem: The White
Ones; (1932)
I do not hate you,
For your faces are beautiful too.
I do not hate you,
Your faces are whirling lights of loveliness and
splendor, too.
Yet why do you torture me,
O, white strong ones,
Why do you torture me?
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