Gotham Rising: New York in the 1930sNew York is often described as the greatest city in the world. Yet much of the iconic architecture and culture which so defines the city as we know it today from the Empire State Building to the Pastrami sandwich only came into being in the 1930s, in what was perhaps the most significant decade in the city's 400-year history. After the roaring twenties, the catastrophic Wall Street Crash and ensuing Depression seemed to spell disaster for the vibrant city. Yet, in this era, New York underwent an architectural, economic, social and creative renaissance under the leadership of the charismatic mayor Fiorello La Guardia. After seizing power, he declared war on the mafia mobs running vast swathes of the city, attacked political corruption and kick-started the economy through a variety of construction and infrastructure projects. In culture, this was the age of the Harlem Renaissance championed by writers like Langston Hughes, the jazz age with the advent of Tin-Pan Alley, the Cotton Club and immortals such as Duke Ellington making his name in the Big Apple. Weaving these stories together, Jules Stewart tells the story of an iconic city in a time of change. |
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
2 The Little Flower and Goliath | 21 |
3 Trouble in the Streets | 31 |
4 I cant figger what dis city is comin to | 47 |
5 All That Jazz | 77 |
6 Gotham Gets a Facelift | 93 |
7 The Thing about Skyscrapers | 113 |
9 Anything You Can Do | 141 |
10 Youre the Top | 157 |
11 They All Laughed at Rockefeller Center | 173 |
12 Village Life | 191 |
13 Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free | 209 |
Notes | 231 |
Bibliography | 247 |
8 SeventySeventh Floor Please | 129 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
American architect artists Authority Avenue became become began bosses Bridge Broadway Brooklyn brought called celebrated cent century Chrysler city’s Club Company completion construction cultural decade Depression early East economic Empire State Building feet Fifth floor force four German Guardia Hall hands Harlem head immigrants industry Italian Italy jazz Jewish Jews John known La Guardia land later less living London Lower Mafia Manhattan March mayor million months Moses moved Museum neighbourhood once opened original Park police political president Press Radio rise Robert Rockefeller Rockefeller Center Roosevelt served Side skyscraper social Square steel Street thousands took tower turned United University Wall White York City York’s Yorkers