What Are Speakeasies?

eHow
July 4, 2011

Speakeasies were illegal bars in the United States during the Prohibition Era in response to the 18th Amendment, which barred the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol. The speakeasy got its name from the need to “speak easy” or whisper a secret password to gain entry. The bars were underground operations, hidden from law enforcement under the façade of regular businesses. The speakeasy is a legendary icon of the Roaring Twenties.

Prohibition
The Prohibition movement to ban alcohol was led by several different groups in American society. Prohibition or temperance is historically linked with women’s suffrage. Women in the 19th century had no political or property rights, and some husbands became abusive after nights drinking in saloons. Susan B. Anthony began her suffrage campaign when she tried to speak a Sons of Temperance meeting, and was told she had no right to speak or take action. Prohibition is also attributed to anti-German sentiment in the wake of World War I, which led to a boycott of German beers as a political statement. It is also believed that white Southerners supported Prohibition to keep alcohol out of reach from blacks.

The 18th Amendment
The 18th Amendment was passed on January 29, 1920. Prohibitionists successfully lobbied Congress to ban the manufacture and sale of alcohol, presumably to correct societal ills associated with drunkenness. Law enforcement began shutting down saloons and bars all over the country. The 18th Amendment restriction of alcohol was repealed by the passage of the 21st Amendment in 1933, but until then, speakeasies cropped up in every major American city.

Speakeasies
Rather than stop drinking, the 18th Amendment simply drove consumption underground. Speakeasies were small, hidden saloons that supplied illegal alcohol. For every legitimate bar that was closed, several speakeasies cropped up. Hidden in delis, tailors and apartments, speakeasies became neighborhood joints for drinking and entertainment. A secret password, signal or handshake kept these places under wraps from law enforcement. The profits earned in speakeasies were often worth the risks of ownership. Speakeasies became highly lucrative businesses in cities where demand for alcohol was high and supply was restricted.

The Advent of Jazz
Speakeasies were a major contributor to the development of jazz music. With so many speakeasies springing up — nearly 5,000 in Manhattan alone — each saloon had to set itself apart. By offering music, the bar could draw more patrons. Jazz musicians suddenly found a demand for their craft, and speakeasy patrons embraced this new style of music. Other entertainment acts like Cabaret singers and Vaudeville troupes had their heyday in the speakeasy culture, which invited a loosening of morals — the exact opposite of Prohibition’s intentions.

References
National Public Radio: Prohibition: Speakeasies, Loopholes and Politics
Public Broadcasting Service: Jazz Exchange: Speakeasies