Arkansas Between the Wars
By Kahley Mitchell
Post War Arkansas
At the end of World War I, a new decade approached the people of America. This brought hope and a better economy to most Americans. The technology had improved and it drastically change people's live. Electricity, the telephone, the automobile, and other beneficial inventions made everyday life uncomplicated and more gratifying. People also had more spare time for entertainment and amusement.
Entertainment and Recreation
During the 1920's the economy looked as if it was booming. Therefore, people nicknamed the 1920's The Roaring Twenties. Cities grew larger when people quit the farms to work in factories. People also confronted original American values. Women called "Flappers" cut their hair, shortened their skirts, and wore makeup.
Some Entertaining Activities:
The Little Rock Travelers
Baseball was a popular sport by the end of the 19th century. Many men formed local teams to compete against others from different towns. The Little Rock Travelers began as a minor league baseball team and later became the state's only professional team. In 1957, the team changed its name to the Arkansas Travelers after winning their first championship game in 1920.
Flappers
Flappers were a new kind of Western women in the 1920's. They wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and displayed their dislike for acceptable behavior.
Radios
Oil and Boom Towns
Tenants, Sharecropping, & Growing Violence
People in the South were unhappy about the growing changes of America. Many disliked other races while others disliked other religions. A group called the Ku Klux Klan that had declined recently, started growing again. As support for the Klan ideals continued to grow, the membership in AR grew to nearly 50,000.