Browse Items (105 total)

In contrast with the glorious washrooms that emerged in the 1930s, Steinbeck's novel also showed a dark side to technology. He showed what technology was capable of destroying just as much as it was capable of progressing/innovating. People used to…

picture of a family hitchhiking in 1936.

article about the history of the term "hitchhiking"

During the depression of which Grapes of Wrath is set the popular music of the time were what was leftover from the 20's which glorified the upper class "American Dream." The popular songs of the 1930's were from Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole…

The songs featured in this list commonly desire for better days, and explore their despair. There is a disparity between the songs since they are just coming from the ritzy 1920's Puttin on the Ritz is paired with Worried Man Blues. The list…

color screenprint of a man hitchhiking in front of billboards featuring smiling women

Significant dances

The Dance Marathon was a phenomenon in the lower classes. In a test of endurance, couples competed and winners received cash prizes. In the 1930s, the dance marathon evolved from its original focus on endurance records to a…

E. Y. (Yip) Harburg (1896-1981), in a career spanning over fifty years, was known as “Broadway’s social conscience.” A master lyricist, poet and book writer, Yip was always dedicated to social justice. He wrote the words to over 600 songs, most…