The 1930s Culture
A Blast From The Past
1930s culture
1930s music
American popular music from the 1930's reflects the cultural and social conditions that shaped the American identity during the period. The popular music of the thirties can be used as a lens to better understand the collective memory of the American people during a decade marked by the Depression, emerging technologies and the growing population of cities as many Americans relocated from rural areas. Over the course of the thirties American taste in music changed dramatically.
1930s art & entertainment
Even during "Hard Times" and wartime, people need to be entertained. The American people in the 1930s and 1940s were no exception. They enjoyed many forms of entertainment, particularly if they could do so inexpensively. With the addition of sound, movies became increasingly popular. Comedies, gangster movies, and musicals helped people forget their troubles. Among the unemployed in the Depression were artists and performers of many types. Government programs to assist these people resulted in production of plays and artworks for all to enjoy.
Grant Wood
During the 1930's art was used in many different ways to imply different ideas.
Wizard of Oz
Paul Celentano's Festival
1930s Fashion
Often lumped in with the 1920’s or 1940’s the fashions of the thirties are truly one of a kind. The changes in fashion that occurred in the 1930s are essential to vintage inspired clothing today. With the onset of the Great Depression, many people were forced to give up a luxurious lifestyle, but an era of big bands and nightlife remained.
Vintage clothing on life magazine
Typical dress for a man in the 30s
1930s green dress
1930s sports
The 1930s weren't dominated by a superstar like they were in the 20s. Many people say that the “Golden Age of Sports” had come to a close when Bobby Jones retired in 1930. Sports in the 1930s was still as exciting as ever, with many records getting smashed. We also saw two extremely talented Joes: Joe Louis and Joe DiMaggio.
As with everything else, The Depression took its toll on sports. Most everyone took a salary cut and all ballpark renovations were suspended. There was even talk of postponing the Winter Olympics.