Lecture Notes on the Jazz Age and Flapper Movement

Instructor available every day from 7 AM to 7 PM.
For late workers or those who cannot attend, accommodation available via email to discuss alternative arrangements.

Instructor intends to incorporate music into the lecture.
Music sampled from a popular song in 1928, showcasing the culture of Montreal during Prohibition.
- Mention of Irving Berlin as the songwriter, known for his influence on American music.
- Description of the song's narrative: four individuals traveling from New York to Quebec for leisure activities.
- Activities include drinking, gambling, and attending burlesque shows.

Discussion on youth movements prior to the 1920s that caused societal concerns.
- Feminist movement and labor movements seen as transformative.
- Occult movements and bohemian lifestyle akin to 1960s hippies.
- Reference to the musical 'Rent', which addresses young individuals in search of identity and adventure.

Mention of various artistic expressions during the early twentieth century:
- Bohemian lifestyle as a precursor to modern youth rebellion.
- Notable artistic genres include Cubism, Abstract art, and the Avant-garde.
- Modern dance highlighted through the example of Maude Allen, featuring provocative performances that challenged societal norms.
Introduction of Igor Stravinsky's ballet "Rite of Spring" (1913):
- Premiered to controversial reactions, challenging conventional sound and themes of human sacrifice.
- Initially met with resistance but now recognized in popular culture (featured in Disney's "Fantasia").

Jazz music's origins traced to late 19th century New Orleans, rooted in African American culture.
Transition of jazz from a local genre to an international phenomenon, reaching Canada and Europe.
Jazz's controversial perception by older generations and its association with nightlife in urban centers.
- Montreal's burgeoning jazz scene in the 1920s, linked to the influx of Black communities, especially in the Saint Antoine neighborhood.
- Discusses societal anxieties surrounding jazz culture:
- Clubs seen as locations of vice, gambling, and illicit activities.
- Racism played a role in stigmatizing jazz as morally harmful due to its Black origin.
- 1921 essay in Ladies Home Journal questioned the influences of jazz on society.

The flapper: a symbol of women's liberation in the early 20th century.
- Desire for equal rights, education, and freedom from traditional gender roles highlighted.
- Clothing and hairstyles of flappers (e.g., bobbed cuts and knee-length skirts) reflecting an active lifestyle.
- Public backlash against flappers for their liberated lifestyle, often seen as a threat to traditional values.
- Example of Miss Toronto pageants showcasing evolving societal expectations of women.

The shift from rural living to urban centers creating new societal dynamics.
- Women's increased independence to live alone and work, causing societal concerns.
- Urban dangers cited as risks for young women: crime, substance abuse, and unwanted pregnancies.
Media sensationalism linking these urban anxieties to moral panic.

The "white slave trade" moral panic emerged in the early 20th century targeting concerns over young women's safety.
- Narrative framed around the corruption of young white women at the hands of various marginalized groups.
- Historical context of labor exploitation twisted into sensationalist fear narratives disconnected from reality.

Rise of antisemitism connected to broader fears about immigrants and changing demographics.
- Prejudice shaped both narratives around Jewish people and broader fears about immigrant influence.
- Quotas on Jewish students in universities and exclusion from social clubs as manifestations of this prejudice.

Global labor strikes, particularly in 1918-19, coinciding with revolutionary movements in Europe.
- Comparison to the Red Scare in the U.S. and the emergence of radical labor organizations.
- Fear of Bolshevism criticized and labeled as a foreign threat to Canadian society.

Instructor underscores how anxieties surrounding jazz, the flapper movement, and moral panics reflect broader concerns about urbanization and cultural change.
- The evolution of women's rights viewed as unsettling for traditional societal structures.
Possible future moral panics related to emerging music genres and cultural shifts.

Students encouraged to ask questions about relevant topics, ranging from lecture content to assignment queries.