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

The Taxman Cometh: U.S. v. Alphonse Capone

Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. UPDATE: Capone's criminal case file has been digitized and is now online.  Al Capone—the quintessential American gangster—headed the nation’s most notorious organized crime syndicate for more than a decade during Prohibition. Through smuggling, bootlegging, and a variety of … Continue reading The Taxman Cometh: U.S. v. Alphonse Capone