Introduction to the 1930's
The 1930's were the polar opposite of the roaring 20's. On October 29, 1929 the stock market crashed due to overspeculation and mass deflation. All of this brutal, life-destroying devistation came to be known as the Great Depression. The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to the end of World War II in 1945. This depression in not just the economy but the American life inspired many artists, dancers, musicians, etc.
One featured artist is Dorothea Lange who painted the Migrant Mother (the picture to the top right) as well as many other migrant farmers. During this time, Grant Wood also began painting. For those who don't know, Grant Wood is the guy who liked to paint rural scenes like farms as well as the painting American Gothic (seen to the left). What makes Grant Wood so famous is that he was an American painter and many painters that we have studied were not.In addition to art art, music was also gaining immense popularity during this time. Number one singles from Duke Ellington and Harry Richman captured audiences through radio broadcasts. Puttin' on the Ritz by Harry Richman was one of the most popular songs of the time and has been remade many times since. Programs like the Federal Music Project (FMP) gave money to musicians so that they could pursue their talents even in a time of economic distress. As mentioned above, the radio was also extremely popular and was also relatively cheap to purchase. That being said, radios became a necessity in most American homes.
Another form of art that exploded during this time was the cinema. Since the movie T
he Jazz Singer added sound to movies in the late 20's, all movies now had sound and could offer cheap entertainment during a time of such misery. One of these box office hits was The Wizard of Oz which is still popular with audiences today. Snow White also came out and became the first huge animated film as well as the highest-grossing film of the decade. Plays featured on Broadway in New York were also popular although usually more popular with the affluent since the working classes tended to be lured to the cinemas.
he Jazz Singer added sound to movies in the late 20's, all movies now had sound and could offer cheap entertainment during a time of such misery. One of these box office hits was The Wizard of Oz which is still popular with audiences today. Snow White also came out and became the first huge animated film as well as the highest-grossing film of the decade. Plays featured on Broadway in New York were also popular although usually more popular with the affluent since the working classes tended to be lured to the cinemas.