The early 1920s were caught between the lingering hardships of World War I and the exuberance of the Jazz Age that would come to define the Roaring Twenties. In America, speakeasies were springing up everywhere as Prohibition took hold, and flappers led the way in challenging expectations with their short skirts, bobbed hair, and carefree spirit. Here are 30 vintage photos from 1920 to 1925 that capture all the exciting and quiet slices of life in an unforgettable moment in time.
1. Talk About a Big Family
2. ‘My Great Grandparents in the 1920s’
3. Flappers Strike a Pose While Acting in a Silent Film, 1922
4. Actress Gloria Swanson, 1922
5. Men Gather Outside a Restaurant Displaying a Prohibition-Era Sign
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6. How Reviews Were Made in the ’20s
7. Heavy on the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Vibes
8. An Icon: ‘My Great Grandma in the 1920s. She Protested in the Suffragette Marches as a Teenager’
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9. Flapper Girls Get Ready for a Night on the Town
10. A Pie Eating Contest in Washington, D.C., 1921
11. The Changing Length of Bathing Suits Through the Ages
12. A Family Goes for a Stroll Around Their Neighborhood in Washington D.C., 1920
13. A Young Clark Gable, 1921
14. Early Radio Operators Working at the Headquarters of the US Coast Guard, 1923
15. Dancer Margaret Severn Looking Ethereal at the Beach on Long Island, New York, 1923
16. A Peek Inside a General Store
17. A Gentleman Tips His Hat While Walking Past a Group of Ladies
18. An Early View of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Skyline, 1922
19. A Veteran Shares His Stories With a Group of Shoeshine Boys, 1921
20. A Family Gathers Around a Lavishly Decorated Christmas Tree in Washington D.C., 1923
21. A Palestinian Mother and Her Baby, 1920
22. ‘Teenagers Dressed for a High School Dance in the 1920s’
23. Crowds Line Up at the Turnstiles for a Baseball Game at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C., April 1923
24. A Sharply-Dressed Gentleman Poses Next to His Car, 1920
25. A Sea of People Show Up for a Jazz Club in Harlem, New York, 1920
26. A Couple Dances to Jazz Next to a Phonograph, 1923
27. Female Postal Clerks Partake in Calisthenics Exercises During Their Break, 1923
28. ‘Proud Winners of the 1920 Washington Herald Junior Baseball Championship’
29. A Man Paints a Portrait of a Flapper in Greenwich Village, New York, 1921
30. A Family Goes ‘Car Camping’ in Dallas, Texas, 1920
More ’20s content:
- 24 Fascinating Scenes From the Age of Prohibition — These vintage photos of Prohibition capture an era that changed how people socialized.
- 35 Photos That Show the Wild Energy of the 1920s — Take a look at these vintage photos of the 1920s that showcase the best and worst of the decade.
- 10 Rare Prohibition-Era Artifacts That Collectors Value — From covert smuggling tools to government-issued warnings, these artifacts offer a glimpse into a time when a simple drink could land you in trouble.
