Speakeasies, Flappers, and Jazz: 33 Vintage Photos That Show What the Roaring Twenties Was Truly Like
They didn’t call it the “Roaring Twenties” for no reason. From bluesy jazz spilling out of speakeasies to flappers kicking up their heels in defiance of societal norms, the 1920s were a time of glitzy glamour, wild excess, and rebellious energy. It was the era of cultural awakenings in Harlem, Prohibition turning everyday folks into bootleggers, and Art Deco glittering across city skylines.
But beneath all the excitement was also a time of division and economic strife, especially after the stock market crash of ’29. Take a look at these 33 vintage photos of the 1920s that showcase the best and worst of the decade.
1. A Group of Friends Hanging Out in the Bronx, New York
2. Dressed to Kill: Gangsters Pose with Tommy Guns During the Height of Prohibition-Era Crime
3. Just Two Friends Having a Dance in Breeches and Button-Downs
4. Neighbors Gather on a Brownstone Block in Midtown, New York
5. Getting Her Feet Wet at the Beach
6. This One’s Heavy on the ‘Great Gatsby’ Vibes
7. A Group of Elegantly-Dressed Guests Pose Among Plants and Draped Balconies at a Soirée
8. ‘Vintage Photograph of a Rainy New York City in the 1920s’
9. Flapper Girls in Their Finest Attire
10. ‘A Cop Poses With Some Flappers in Los Angeles, California, 1920s’
11. A Man Offers to Sell His Car for $100 After Losing Everything in the 1929 Stock Market Crash
12. A Stylish Woman Leans Against Her Car With a Cane in Her Hand
13. Panic on Wall Street: Droves of Traders and Businessmen Gather Outside the New York Stock Exchange in the Wake of the ’29 Crash
14. ‘A Janitor Sweeps the Floor of the New York Stock Exchange Following the Wall Street Crash, 1929’
15. A Newspaper Clipping of the ‘Brooklyn Daily Eagle’ Following the Stock Market Crash, October 1929
16. Flappers Donning Knee-High Socks in Scotland, 1926
17. A Young Woman Serving Face During a 20th-Century Studio Portrait
18. This Protest Against Prohibition in Chicago Got Straight to the Point
19. ‘Prohibition-Era Raid on a Boston Speakeasy, 1920s’
20. A Woman Reveals a Hidden Liquor Flask Tucked Inside a Hollowed-Out Book During the Prohibition Era
21. And Why Not Stash Booze in a Cane, Too?
22. Or a Pack of Decoy Cigars?
23. If All Else Fails, You Can Always Count on the Old Boot Storage
24. When They Say They’ll Have ‘Just One’ Drink
25. ‘My Great Grandma Ruth With the Car She Used to Smuggle Alcohol From Canada to Milwaukee During the Prohibition Era in the 1920s’
26. Talk About Stepping Out in Style: A Flapper Poses Beside a Car While Her Companion Gazes Straight Into the Camera
27. ‘People Dancing at a Harlem Nightclub, 1920s’
28. Authorities Destroy Illegal Alcohol by Pouring Barrels of Booze Down the Drain During the Height of Prohibition
29. ‘Children Playing on a Cart in Harlem, New York, 1920s’
30. Men Gather Outside the Southern Coffee Pot and Apollo Soda Shop During the Harlem Renaissance
31. Bathing Besties Strike a Pose in Their Favorite Swimsuits
32. Just Letting the Good Times … Roar
33. Definitely Not for Those With a Fear of Heights
How about some ’30s content?
Jump into the next decade with 30 Powerful Photos That Show What Life Was Really Like in the 1930s and 15 Haunting Photos of the 1930s Dust Bowl. You might also be interested in 16 Historical Photos of World’s Fairs.