On Exhibit: The American Debate about Alcohol Consumption During World War II

Today’s post comes from Emily Niekrasz, an intern in the National Archives History Office in Washington, DC. In March 2015 the National Archives opened “Spirited Republic: Alcohol in American History,” a new exhibit that explores the complex love-hate relationship between America and alcohol. The exhibit’s curator, Bruce Bustard, has written, “These two different views of alcoholic … Continue reading On Exhibit: The American Debate about Alcohol Consumption During World War II

Prohibition and the Rise of the American Gangster

Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. As Prohibition commenced in 1920, progressives and temperance activists envisioned an age of moral and social reform. But over the next decade, the “noble experiment” produced crime, violence, and a flourishing illegal liquor trade. The roots of Prohibition date … Continue reading Prohibition and the Rise of the American Gangster