Introduction
In "One Summer: America, 1927," Bill Bryson takes readers on a captivating journey through a pivotal year in American history. The summer of 1927 was a time of remarkable events and cultural shifts that would shape the United States for decades to come. Bryson weaves together stories of aviation, baseball, cinema, economics, and social issues to paint a vivid picture of a nation on the brink of tremendous change.
The Dawn of American Aviation
Charles Lindbergh's Historic Flight
One of the most significant events of 1927 was Charles Lindbergh's groundbreaking flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Prior to this feat, the United States lagged behind Europe in aviation development. While European countries had established commercial airlines and were transporting thousands of passengers annually, America had yet to embrace air travel on a large scale.
Lindbergh's solo flight from New York to Paris on May 20-21, 1927, captured the world's imagination and changed everything. Flying his custom-built plane, "The Spirit of St. Louis," Lindbergh became the first person to be in New York and Paris on consecutive days. This accomplishment not only won him the coveted Orteig Prize but also ignited a passion for aviation among Americans.
The Impact on American Aviation
The ripple effects of Lindbergh's flight were immediate and far-reaching. Within a year, the airplane manufacturer Boeing grew from a small Seattle company to an employer of a thousand people. Lindbergh's success spurred approximately $100 million in aviation investments across the United States, laying the foundation for the country's future dominance in the aerospace industry.
This sudden interest in aviation marked a turning point for America. It not only boosted the nation's technological prowess but also symbolized the country's growing ambition and capability to achieve seemingly impossible feats.
The Rise of American Cultural Influence
Hollywood and the Film Industry
The year 1927 saw Hollywood cementing its position as the world's entertainment capital. The American film industry was producing a staggering 800 feature films annually, accounting for 80 percent of the world's total output. This prolific production made the motion picture industry the fourth-largest in the United States and transformed Los Angeles into the country's fastest-growing and richest city per capita.
Despite its cultural dominance, Hollywood faced financial challenges. The industry's salvation came in the form of "The Jazz Singer," released in 1927. This groundbreaking film introduced synchronized dialogue and marked the beginning of the "talkie" era, revolutionizing cinema forever.
The advent of talkies had profound implications for American cultural influence. These films popularized American speech, thoughts, and attitudes on a global scale, effectively exporting American culture to the rest of the world. This development played a crucial role in establishing the United States as a cultural superpower.
Babe Ruth: The Rise of a Sports Icon
Another cultural phenomenon that captured the nation's attention in 1927 was the incredible success of baseball legend Babe Ruth. Ruth's larger-than-life personality and extraordinary athletic abilities made him a symbol of American prowess and exceptionalism.
Playing for the New York Yankees, widely regarded as the greatest team in the country, Ruth set an astonishing record of 60 home runs in a single season. This feat was so remarkable that he alone hit more home runs than most entire teams in the National League.
Ruth's popularity extended far beyond the baseball diamond. He earned a fortune from newspaper columns, product endorsements, and even starred in his own film, "Babe Comes Home." The widespread adoration of Babe Ruth reflected America's growing self-confidence and its embrace of celebrity culture.
Social Issues and the "Age of Loathing"
Racism and Xenophobia
While the 1920s are often remembered as the "Roaring Twenties" or the "Jazz Age," Bryson argues that the "Age of Loathing" might be a more appropriate label. The decade was marked by pervasive racism, xenophobia, and fear of left-wing politics.
Immigrants, particularly Italians, faced widespread discrimination and were often stereotyped as criminals or political radicals. The case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian anarchists executed for murder in 1927, exemplified the prejudices of the time and sparked significant controversy.
Racial segregation and discrimination were deeply entrenched in American society. Even successful black entertainers like Bert Williams faced humiliating restrictions, such as being forced to use service entrances in luxury apartment buildings where they resided.
The Eugenics Movement
One of the most disturbing manifestations of racism and pseudoscience in 1927 was the popularity of eugenics. This misguided theory proposed that the United States was being overrun by "inferior" people, including those with mental or physical disabilities, orphans, homosexuals, and women deemed promiscuous.
Proponents of eugenics advocated for the sterilization of these groups to prevent them from passing on their genes. The movement gained support from respected institutions and publications, leading to the forced sterilization of tens of thousands of Americans.
The prevalence of such ideas highlights the dark undercurrent of intolerance and fear that existed alongside the apparent prosperity and progress of the era.
Economic Prosperity and Its Pitfalls
Unprecedented Wealth
The United States in 1927 was experiencing a level of economic prosperity never before seen in history. The country was home to the world's most affluent citizenry, with widespread ownership of modern conveniences like phonographs, automobiles, and telephones. An astounding 42 percent of the world's products were manufactured in the United States, and the country held half of the world's gold reserves.
This economic boom was accompanied by a surge in the stock market, which rose by a third in 1927 alone. The unprecedented wealth created an atmosphere of optimism and seemingly limitless possibilities.
The Rise of Consumerism
The prosperity of 1927 ushered in the era of American consumerism. The availability of installment plans and easy credit allowed Americans to "buy now, pay later," making a wide range of consumer goods accessible to the masses. Products that were considered luxuries in other parts of the world, such as refrigerators, radios, and electric razors, became commonplace in American homes.
This consumerist culture would become a defining characteristic of American society, shaping both the nation's economy and its values for generations to come.
The Seeds of Economic Disaster
However, the economic boom of 1927 contained the seeds of its own destruction. The prosperity was largely built on a foundation of excessive borrowing and speculative investing. Banks borrowed heavily from the Federal Reserve at low interest rates and then lent the money to brokers at much higher rates, fueling a stock market bubble.
Many business leaders engaged in manipulative practices to artificially inflate share prices, often at the expense of unsuspecting investors. The stock market's continued growth relied on a constant influx of new buyers to push prices ever higher, creating an unsustainable cycle.
These reckless financial practices, combined with the laissez-faire attitude of the Coolidge administration, set the stage for the devastating stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression.
Political Leadership and Economic Policies
Calvin Coolidge's Presidency
President Calvin Coolidge's hands-off approach to governance played a significant role in shaping the economic landscape of 1927. Known for his minimal work schedule and lack of interest in many matters of state, Coolidge's presidency allowed for the implementation of policies that often favored private interests over long-term economic stability.
Andrew Mellon and Tax Policy
One of the most influential figures in Coolidge's administration was Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon. Mellon oversaw substantial tax cuts that disproportionately benefited the wealthy, including himself. During his tenure, Mellon's personal wealth more than doubled, and his family's fortune grew to over $2 billion. The preferential treatment extended to Mellon, such as having IRS agents prepare his tax returns to minimize his liability, exemplified the cozy relationship between government and big business.
Federal Reserve and International Banking
In 1927, a crucial meeting between international bankers and the Federal Reserve led to a decision to lower interest rates. While the intention was to aid Europe's struggling economy, this move inadvertently contributed to the economic instability that would culminate in the Great Depression.
The End of an Era
As the summer of 1927 drew to a close, President Coolidge made the surprising announcement that he would not seek another term. This decision would have far-reaching consequences, as it meant that the impending economic crisis would unfold under the presidency of Herbert Hoover.
The Aftermath and Legacy
The Stock Market Crash and Great Depression
The economic policies and practices of 1927 set the stage for the catastrophic stock market crash of 1929. In the three years following the crash, the United States experienced:
- A rise in unemployment from 3% to 25%
- A 33% drop in average household earnings
- A 50% decrease in industrial production
- A 90% decline in the overall value of the stock market
These statistics paint a stark picture of the devastating impact of the Great Depression, which would reshape American society and politics for decades to come.
Long-term Impact on American Society
The events and trends of 1927 left an indelible mark on American culture and identity:
Aviation: The enthusiasm generated by Lindbergh's flight laid the groundwork for America's future dominance in aerospace technology and commercial aviation.
Entertainment: Hollywood's transition to talkies solidified the United States' position as the world's leading producer of popular culture, a status it maintains to this day.
Sports and Celebrity: The rise of figures like Babe Ruth foreshadowed the growing importance of sports and celebrity culture in American society.
Consumerism: The "buy now, pay later" mentality that took hold in 1927 became a defining characteristic of American consumer culture.
Economic Policies: The lessons learned from the economic collapse that followed 1927's prosperity influenced future approaches to financial regulation and economic management.
Social Issues: The racism and xenophobia of the era served as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equality in American society.
Final Thoughts
Bill Bryson's "One Summer: America, 1927" offers a fascinating snapshot of a nation at a crossroads. The summer of 1927 encapsulated both the promise and the perils of the American experience. It was a time of incredible achievements, cultural innovations, and economic prosperity, but also a period marked by social tensions, economic recklessness, and looming disaster.
The events of that summer helped shape the United States into the global superpower it would become in the latter half of the 20th century. The technological advancements in aviation, the cultural dominance established by Hollywood, and the rise of consumer culture all played crucial roles in defining modern America.
At the same time, the summer of 1927 exposed the deep-seated issues that continue to challenge American society. The prevalence of racism and xenophobia, the dangers of unchecked capitalism, and the potential for economic instability all have echoes in contemporary debates and concerns.
Ultimately, "One Summer: America, 1927" reminds us that history is not a simple narrative of progress or decline, but a complex interplay of forces that shape our world in unexpected ways. By examining this pivotal moment in such detail, Bryson provides valuable insights into the origins of many aspects of modern American life, both positive and negative.
The book serves as a reminder that even in times of apparent prosperity and optimism, it is crucial to remain vigilant about the underlying issues that can threaten social cohesion and economic stability. It also highlights the power of individual achievements, like Lindbergh's flight or Ruth's record-breaking season, to capture the public imagination and drive societal change.
As we reflect on the events of 1927, we are encouraged to consider how the decisions and attitudes of the past continue to influence our present and shape our future. In doing so, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexities of history and the ongoing process of building and maintaining a just and prosperous society.