Article
Scott Alexander

Red Hot Jazz: Dorsey Brothers Orchestra

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief history of the Dorsey Brothers' musical careers including a good sized discography collection.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Harlem Renaissance

For Students 5th - 8th
The Harlem Renaissance influenced not only African American culture in the Jazz Age, but all of American culture. Read about some of the shining stars of African American literature and music of the age.
Website
Other

History of the Roaring Twenties

For Students 9th - 10th
Step back in time to the 1920s and explore the history that made this era the 'Roaring Twenties'.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: James Reese Europe

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Brittanica's Guide to Black History features James Reese Europe, an American bandleader, arranger, composer, a major figure in the transition from ragtime to jazz. This site, rich in detail and breadth of...
Website
Central Home

Central Home: centralhome.com: History of Dance

For Students 9th - 10th
Visit this site for information on a variety of dance forms. It gives background information on the origination of the dances and how to perform the dances.
Website
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: Outlines: Clash of Cultures

For Students 9th - 10th
Although brief, this discussion of the clash of cultures in the 1920s covers all the reasons for cultural discordance.
Activity
Chicago History Museum

Chicago History Museum: History Files: The Black Sox

For Students 9th - 10th
Media coverage of the 1919 World Series involving the players from this team and the scandal that became so well known.
Handout
Other

"Blind" Boone: History

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides a thorough biography of one of the most influential but overlooked Ragtime composers, John William "Blind" Boone. The emphasis is on his lifetime and the tremendous success of his musical career despite his...
Article
Scott Alexander

Red Hot jazz.com: Tom Brown's "Jass" Band

For Students 9th - 10th
Stop here at RedHotJazz.com for some early history of Dixieland jazz, dating to the early 1900's and one of the first known jazz bands.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Red Scare

For Students 5th - 8th
A dark side to the Jazz Age was the increase in the fear of Communism. Read about the federal government's actions to stem anything that was thought to threaten American security.
Activity
Digital History

Digital History: Formation of Modern American Mass Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
A mass culture developed in America in the 1920s due to several factors. Read about the influence of radio, movies, and spectator sports in the adoption of common speech. Find out about the creativity of the time in literature and music.
Unit Plan
Digital History

Digital History: Overview of the 1920s

For Students 9th - 10th
Original documents, a timeline, biographies, pictures, and videos cover historical and cultural events of the 1920s.
Activity
Digital History

Digital History: Avant Garde

For Students 9th - 10th
Synopsis of the huge cultural shifts that occurred in America in the 1920s in art, music, literature, and among intelligentsia.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Archives Center: Duke Ellington: Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
A useful biographical note of Duke Ellington.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Fundamentalism and Pentecostalism

For Students 9th - 10th
The late 19th century was a time of scientific theory, inquiry, and teaching. Read about the backlash to such modernism in the early 20th century with the ideas from Christian Fundamentalism and Pentecostalism. Find the five fundamentals...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Flappers

For Students 5th - 8th
The liberation of women as expressed by the flappers of the 1920s was in stark contrast to the actions of women in the Victorian Age. Read about how flappers expressed their freedom in fashion, employment, and leisure activities.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Fads and Heroes

For Students 5th - 8th
A time of fads and hero worship, the 1920s' entertainment didn't always make sense, but it was interesting. Find out about some of the fads of the time, and who became the heroes of popular culture. Take a brief quiz about the 1920s.
Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Coleman Hawkins

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Coleman Hawkins, an American jazz musician whose improvisational mastery of the tenor saxophone, which had previously been viewed as little more than a novelty, helped establish it as one...
Website
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Techno Pop

For Students 9th - 10th
Feature series on "The Secret History of Technology and Pop Music," traced partly through the story of an Indiana company that stopped making pianos and started cutting 78 rpm records using the talents of famous jazz musicians and others.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Chicago Tribune Cartoons

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Monk, Thelonius

For Students 9th - 10th
This encyclopedia entry gives a brief account of Thelonius Monk, jazz pianist, and his influence on the jazz scene.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Ellington, Edward "Duke"

For Students 9th - 10th
Duke Ellington's prominence as one of the greatest American composers and key figure in the development of the genre of jazz is highlighted in this encyclopedia entry.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Henderson, Fletcher Hamilton, Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a brief encyclopedia entry about Fletcher Henderson, jazz musician.
Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Holliday, Billie

For Students 9th - 10th
This encyclopedia entry tells of Billie Holliday's life. She was, perhaps, the most accomplished jazz vocalist. There is a link to a PBS website for further information.

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