Anonymous Bootlegger Article

Publication date: 1926

Type of source: News Paper Article

Impact: 3/5

Why I read this source: Prohibition project

Would I recommend: Yes

This was a news paper article written by an anonymous bootlegger in 1926. It appears to be written by a man as they reference their wife, although there were female bootleggers. I enjoyed this article as it was a primary source of Prohibition, also I appreciated that it was from the perspective of someone committing a crime.  

I read this for my Prohibition project, which is also largely about the current "Mommy Needs Wine" culture. One thing I noted was that a large part of the author's sales was selling wine to the women at his wife's beauty parlor. This is significant because of both female drinking culture at the time, and the percent of alcohol consumption that wine accounted for. 

 

First, there was a stigma around women drinking before Prohibition. This isn't to say that I am surprised that women were drinking- however I am surprised this was the bootleggers loyal base of customers. But that could just be because his wife had access to this clientele. Second, wine only accounted for 6.1% of consumption in the years before Prohibition so it's surprising that it was the alcohol mentioned.

 

Finally, my favorite part was the last line: "I am a bootlegger and proud of it." The 1920s was all about a spirit of rebellion, and this line perfectly encapsulates that.

Article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1926/09/25/a-bootleggers-story-i-how-i-started

Wine Consumption Statistic: https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/surveillance110/tab1_16.htm

        Note: That wine statistic link might not work, but all the data is from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.