Scofflaws
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, PA, has an exhibit on prohibition called American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. This exhibits explores the various historical narratives associated with prohibition, including the narrative of "a nation of scofflaws." This narrative is best explained in Ken Burns documentary, Prohibition, which describes that after the 18th Amendment was passed many individuals did not take the law into any consideration whatsoever. In the documentary, Burns explains that the term "scofflaw" came about in a competition from the Boston Herald to coin a term that described someone who purposefully broke the law and drank. During prohibition when speakeasies and organized crime skyrocketed, it is easy to see how many individuals continued to drink in the open although it was against the law.
The Exibit
When you first walk into the exhibit, you are greeted with a short video clip that introduces the drinking problem that America had (complete with a jazzy tune) that moves through the passage of the 18th Amendment and enters into the speakeasy bar. The exhibit does a fine job explaining the drinking problem and the rise of the Temperance movement, looking at how people drank around 90 bottles of 80 proof liquor and that caused the Anti-Saloon League to get behind the idea of prohibition. While prohibition was intended to be a "noble experiment," it failed miserably. This was the result of nobody following the law. The exhibit explains that two groups of people benefited from the passage of the 18th Amendment: Baptists (who wanted to pass the Amendment) and bootleggers (who broke the law and sold alcohol).
After the 18th Amendment went into affect, America became infested with speakeasies. These were "secret" places where people could go and illegally buy alcohol. It is important to note that the 18th Amendment did not make the consumption of alcohol illegal, just the purchase and sale (which is one reason why it failed). The number of speakeasy bars within the country lead one columnist to sum up the history of America in eleven words: "Columbus, Washington, Lincoln, Volstead, two flights up and ask for Gus." This makes clear that, although the 18th Amendment was in affect, people did not follow it.
After the 18th Amendment went into affect, America became infested with speakeasies. These were "secret" places where people could go and illegally buy alcohol. It is important to note that the 18th Amendment did not make the consumption of alcohol illegal, just the purchase and sale (which is one reason why it failed). The number of speakeasy bars within the country lead one columnist to sum up the history of America in eleven words: "Columbus, Washington, Lincoln, Volstead, two flights up and ask for Gus." This makes clear that, although the 18th Amendment was in affect, people did not follow it.
The exhibit described that speakeasies had funds for two critical components: money to purchase the illegal alcohol for their patrons, and money to bribe the law enforcement officials. This brings up an important point (and contested memory for prohibition) in that it brought out the worst and corruption in the law systems. This is best exemplified in HBO's series Boardwalk Empire where it is evident to see the large scale corruption in Atlantic City. The Atlantic City police officials, particularly the sheriff's office, played a significant role in making sure federal officers were unsuccessful in closing down prohibition. For example, the Atlantic City Prosecutor arrested a Coast Guard Officer after he tried to stop someone
smuggling alcohol into the city and pulled his weapon. One reason for this was the huge amount of money that was being made in the sale of illegal alcohol. The exhibit displayed an impressive map of the bootlegging network that was
established within the United States that reinforces the public breaking of the law.
smuggling alcohol into the city and pulled his weapon. One reason for this was the huge amount of money that was being made in the sale of illegal alcohol. The exhibit displayed an impressive map of the bootlegging network that was
established within the United States that reinforces the public breaking of the law.
The narrative of the "nation of scofflaws" is evident throughout the prohibition exhibit at the National Constitution Center. The 18th Amendment's terms made prohibition a failure at the start, and the organization to enforce the law made it impossible. This allowed many people to continue to buy alcohol without any second-thought that they were breaking the law. Speakeasies, bootleggers, and corruption within law enforcement are just some examples of scofflaws who openly broke the law.