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Period: to
1920's
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Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin appears in his first feature film, "The Kid." Charlie Chaplin became one of the world's most famous actors of the time. He not only was famous for his mime and slapstick, but also his ability to create drama in silent films. His popularity carried over through the rise of the "talkie" fims. -
Cotton Club
"Club Delux" was bought by Owney Madden who changed its name to the "Cotton Club." The Cotton Club was one of the most popular clubs during the 1920's and premiered many of the most influential jazz musicians of the time including Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. -
Art Deco
In March 1925, an international exhibition for modern art was held in Paris. This exhibition later influenced the United States Art Deco movement. The Art Deco style is characterised by use of materials such as aluminium, stainless steel, lacquer, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebraskin, and the bold use of zigzag and stepped forms, and sweeping curves, chevron patterns, and the sunburst. This movement inspired is the design of the Chrysler Building in New York City which was built from 1928-1930. -
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald published his novel "The Great Gatsby." This novel exemplifies the society of the roaring twenties, and is still regarded as one of the best novels in history. The Modern Library named it the second best English-language novel of the 20th Century. -
The New Negro
"The New Negro: An Interpretation" is a collection of poetry, fiction, and essays about African/African American art and literature edited by Alain Locke. This anthology exemplifies the "New Negro Movement," also called the "Harlem Renaissance," the cultural movement of the African American community during the 1920's. -
The Hot Five
In 1925, Louis Armstrong, one of the most famous jazz musicians of the period, created his band "Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five." They recorded an album on November 12, 1925. Their music represents the type of jazz that gained immense popularity during the 1920's. This album is still considered by many crititcs as one of the best jazz recordings in history. -
The Jazz Singer
On this date, the movie "The Jazz Singer" was premiered. This was the first full-length motion picture with synchronized dialogue incorporated into it. This was a turning point in movie history and marked the shift from silent films to "talkie" films. -
The Oscars
The first Academy Awards were held in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The awards honored movies released from August 1, 1927 – August 1, 1928. The tickets cost 5 dollars and the ceremony lasted 15 minutes. Since then, these awards have continued to play a major role in honoring influential people in the film industry.
