Browse Items (7 total)

"Unemployment permitted a great deal more companionship between young men and young women, which ordinarily would have led to marriage. The only thing lacking was money. The arrangements called, simply, 'living together' became common. Often the man…

"In the 1930s, the American Dream had become a nightmare, and I think comic books and superheroes in particular provided an escapist form of entertainment that allowed the American public to go into a fantasy world where all the ills of the world…

"During the big depression of the 1930's, people looked desperately for inexpensive leisure pursuits, as their spendable income decreased dramatically. Parlor and board games, as well as stamp collecting became popular hobbies. When Parker Brothers…

Although the 1930s was a time of great hardship, people still found ways to have fun. For many during these years, having fun didn't have to cost much. Everything was homemade – the food, the games, the music – there were even homemade portable dance…

Combine outrageous scenarios with slapstick humor, then add witty, fast-paced dialogue and light romantic situations and you have that wonderful cinematic treasure called the screwball comedy — or as film critic Andrew Sarris describes it, “a sex…

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…

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…