E. Joe Brown

     I thought I would share some of my research in this blog. If you Google 1922, you’ll find some of what I share here. Yes, I use AI (as I shared last time) to help me, and this blog is full of information from internet searches. You’ll see in January, when it’s published, that “A Cowboy’s Venture” ends in the Spring of 1922. That’s why I’m using that year to show that I always have a historical background to the story.

     In 1922, the U.S. economy roared with enthusiasm as the country recovered from World War I. Some key events or milestones included the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial, President Harding becoming the first leader to broadcast over the radio, the Great Railroad Strike, and the swearing-in of Rebecca Felton as the first female U.S. Senator.

Politics & Government

•     Lincoln Memorial Dedication: The iconic monument – dedicated on the Washington Mall on May 30.
•     Women's Suffrage Upheld: The Supreme Court officially upheld the 19th Amendment, cementing women's right to vote. (I haven’t said much about this in the storyline.)
•     Cable Act Passed: Congress granted married women independent citizenship, untethering their status from their husbands. (Finally!)
•     First Female Senator: Rebecca Latimer Felton became the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, albeit for a single day. (Could Susan Kelly run for office, whattaya think?)

Science & Culture

•     Presidential Radio Broadcast: Warren G. Harding became the first U.S. president to have his voice transmitted over the radio. (Radio and aviation are coming in Charlie and Susan’s future)
•     The "Jazz Age": F. Scott Fitzgerald coined the term in his short story collection, Tales of the Jazz Age. (Gotta find a way to include music)
•     Reader's Digest: The inaugural issue of the popular magazine was published.
•     King Tut: Though in Egypt, Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb sparked a massive wave of "Egyptomania" across America.

Economy & Society

•      Prohibition Era: The illegal production and sale of alcohol fueled the rapid rise of organized crime syndicates. (I use this a lot. Charlie and Susan love their Cabernet, so I’ve gotta find ways for them to have it. And of course, crime and the Mafia show up.)
•      Great Railroad Strike: Roughly 400,000 workers walked off the job in July, causing massive national transportation and shipping disruptions. (Can’t ignore this)
•      New Yankee Stadium: Construction officially began on the legendary ballpark in the Bronx (I haven't made it to New York to experience this stadium, and some of you know my connection to Mickey Mantle and the Baseball Hall of Fame)

     
     I’m sure you’ve already figured out how much I love to wrap my characters and storyline around key events, people, and places in their correct settings.

Happy Trails,
Joe