The+Tribal+Twenties

SFH – America has a history of segregating specific cultural, ethnic, and religious groups, and the societal environment from 1920 to1924 was no different. World War I momentarily suspended these animosities while American nationalism declared itself in other directions. After the war the nationalism that came to the forefront in 1920 essentially continued its prewar trends, except on an elevated level. John Higham’s article //The Tribal Twenties// claims the ferment of 1920 to 1924 was far from new, and such animosity towards specific cultural, ethnic, and religious groups was only altered by the fact that different groups were targeted. Yet the climate post World War I provided an environment in which the steaks were different from the Progressive Era; making segregation and animosity towards specific cultural, ethnic, and religious groups more poignant. Economic depression, fresh waves of immigrates, and increased crime levels led many Americans to blame minority groups for the post war environment. American press aided the hostility by continually commenting on the rising ‘crime wave’ and speculating the waves foreign origins. Interest groups such as the Ku Klux Klan provided an outlet for powerful feelings of hatred, and increased in violence levels beyond prewar levels. The burning of the town of West Frankfort is one example of violence driven animosity towards foreigners, specifically Italians; the incident left many Italians beaten, burned, and homeless. A nation distrustful of entanglement with Europe and committed to isolation should find itself in general aversion towards all foreigners; and American arbitrary anti-foreignism did extend coast to coast in the twenties and on a more violent and expansive level than prior to World War I.

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