Famous People of the 1920's

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    Many people influenced America in the 1920's, but some of the most prominent were President Warren G. Harding , Herbert Hoover, and  Marcus Garvey. Harding played a key role in helping the United States recover during the aftermath of World War I. Civil Rights Leader Garvey was an influential figure who lead numerous protests for African American rights, and even after  imprisonment, he continued to fight for what he believed in. Hoover was a very controversial president.  Many blamed him for the crash.

Warren G. Harding

                                       Harding's Campaign Poster            Portrait of Harding, our 29th President

            Warren G. Haring was a very influential and respected United States president during the 1920's. He was in office from 1921-1923 and was our 29^th president.

            Harding came into office in the aftermath of World War I. It was a critical time for the U.S. and the country needed the help of a strong government. One of the first obstacles Harding faced when he came into office was moving the government away from wartime crisis. He needed to stabilize the economy. Though the task was difficult, Harding was successful. In addition to that, Harding helped raise the hiring rates during an employment slump, steadied the nation's budget, and promoted agricultural businesses. Harding also acted forcefully to limit the long hours of labor in American steel industries. 

          In August 1923,word started spreading about Harding’s death while on a trip to San Francisco. Though there was no real evidence on who the assassin was, rumors and propaganda were published in the newspaper.  The current vice president at that time, Calvin Coolidge succeeded him.  There was a series of investigations and criminal trials held by the government investigation groups. Nevertheless, the truth was never confirmed.

                Source:

• http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/wh29.html   

Marcus Garvey

                                                                      Marcus Garvey in a UNIA parade    

        Marcus Garvey was a most influential black leader of the early 1920s. Garvey, with the help of Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), formed a critical link in black America's centuries-a long struggle for freedom, justice, and equality.

        When he settled in New York City in 1920, Garvey organized a chapter of the UNIA, which he had earlier founded in a Jamaican organization. Garvey helped Jamaicans and African Americans by giving them economic standing and cultural independence. He created an American gospel of success to inspire higher racial pride. "Garveyism”, as the followers named it, eventually evolved into a religion of success, inspiring millions of black people worldwide to find relief from racism and colonialism.

        In 1922 the federal government charged Garvey on mail fraud. All his Black Star Line (BSL) operations were suspended. Two years later, the UNIA created another line, the Black Cross Navigation and Trading Co., but it, too, failed. Garvey was sentenced to prison. The government later commuted his sentence, only to deport him back to Jamaica in November 1927. He never returned to America.

        Source:

• http://www.isop.ucla.edu/africa/mgpp/intro.asp

Herbert Hoover

Portraits of Herbert Hoover

        Herbert Hoover was president during the 1920's.  He believed that the government should stay not interfere with big business.          

“Economic depression cannot be cured by legislative action or executive pronouncement. Economic wounds must be healed by the action of the cells of the economic body - the producers and consumers themselves.”

                                    -Herbert Hoover

 Many viewed his lack of action as a big mistake especially while the economy was falling apart during the crash.

          In 1921, the Eighteenth Amendment banned the sale of alcohol. During that time, a lot of people were gambling money on the stock market. President Hoover knew that this was a bad idea but when he tried to warn people, they didn’t listen to him. 

          In 1928, Herbert Hoover ran for reelection for presidency. At first, he didn't want to run, but other Republicans chose him to be their representative so he did. He won this election, but in 1929, 7 months after the he became President, the stock market crashed. This was important because a lot of people their money and they became poor. People started to lose faith in him and he couldn’t do anything about it.

         Source:

• http://www.ecommcode.com/hoover/hooveronline/hoover_bio/pres.htm

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