Nightclub City: Politics and Amusement in Manhattan

In the Roaring Twenties, New York City nightclubs and speakeasies became hot spots where traditions were flouted and modernity was forged. With powerful patrons in Tammany Hall and a growing customer base, nightclubs flourished in spite of the efforts of civic—minded reformers and federal Prohibition enforcement. This encounter between clubs and government—generated scandals, reform crusades, and regulations helped to redefine the image and reality of urban life in the United States. Ultima...