The Great Depression was a time when Americans found themselves needing to find a way to forget their everyday life filled with hunger, despair, and not much hope; and lose themselves in something that could give them a temporary mental relief from the trials of the times. This need provided a creative void that was filled by multiple media of that time.
In 1927 sound was introduced to movies giving way to an explosion of creativity in this medium from satiric comedy to drama and action. Sound provided a tool for comedians like the Marx brothers and Mae West to deliver their punch lines; however with the creation of the Breen Office in 1934, the first censorship agency, ushered in the "golden age of order" for film makers. Films in the later part of the decade were used to reinforce traditional views about social roles within American society contradictory to the slap stick style comedy and sexual innuendo humor that first filled the screens of movie theaters during the Depression era.1
In addition, radio came to the fore front as a very useful media to reach out to the American public. President Roosevelt directly addressed the country on radio spots called "fireside chats". He was able to gain the trust of the American people by speaking to them in their own homes furthering the needed expansion of federal authority. Radio became an irreplaceable vehicle for informing the public. So much that a fictitious "emergency bulletin" during Orson Wells' 1937 radio production of H. G. Wells War of the Worlds created mass hysteria in towns across America.2
Music during the depression also experienced a change that would bring about a new type of music called Swing. The depression brought the music industry to its knees with sales decreasing from 100 million records sold to only 6 million in 1931.3 The new Jazz style music called Swing turned these numbers around with its upbeat flare bringing sales back up to 50 million records sold by 1939.3 Jazz music became the most popular music of the day being one of the music styles that always thrives during adverse times. Swing won over the people giving them a tool to forget their troubles with its fast paced tempo and upbeat tones. Created in Harlem during the late 1920's, Swing music found itself in the mainstream during the 1930's. This new style of Jazz gave way to dances that are still popular today – The Big Apple and Little Peach, the Shag and Susy Q, and the most popular dance that started the entire Swing movement was the Lindy Hop, known to recent generations as the Jitterbug. Swing was a great economic booster during dark times. Mainly it allowed people to forget about their problems while they filled up ballrooms across the country such as the Arcadia Ballroom in Detroit and the Paramount Theater in New York. As critic Gary Giddins explained "Swing music was an electrifying development in American popular culture. This was the Depression. It was not an easy period. And this was a music that was just pure pleasure. Pure physical pleasure."3
Americans were also desperately searching for heroes during the Depression, therefore bringing forth the creation of superheroes in comics. Superheroes such as Superman and Batman were created during the 1930's providing yet another outlet for people of all ages to lose themselves in during the Depression.1
In summary, the Depression was a very hard time for Americans to live through and the media of the era provided much needed escape for people to forget their current situations. Additionally, these media, especially the personal feel of radio, allowed for a stronger bond and trust building between the people and their government which aided in preserving values and bringing America out of the Depression era.
Work Cited
1. Steven Mintz et al. "Popular Culture during the Great Depression". Digital History Textbook.
2. Charles J. Shindo "The Great Depression". St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture.
3. Ken Burns "Jazz: A History of America's Music". Public Broadcast System.
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