Description
Book SynopsisInterpreting the Prohibition Era at Museums and Historic Sites chronicles the rise and fall of one of the greatest attempted reforms in American history. This captivating guide will help museum and history professionals explain the history of prohibition, its repeal, and its legacies.
Trade ReviewInterpreting the Prohibition Era at Museums and Historic Sites is exactly the kind of book that busy interpreters, curators, and museum administrators need. Well-researched and lucidly written, it combines a brief history of prohibition with incisive guidelines for interpretation. Lantzer offers an informative account of the long war between “wets” and “drys” in slightly less than fifty pages. His guidelines demonstrate the enduring relevance of prohibition while offering suggestions for telling meaningful, engaging stories about it. Interpreting the Prohibition Era at Museums and Historic Sites is sure to become a standard resource for public historians and museum professionals. In fact, by reminding us that prohibition left no part of the nation untouched, the book shows why its story deserves to be told—and how sites large and small can incorporate it into their programming. -- Daniel Vivian, Assistant Professor of History and Director of Public History Program, University of Louisville
Interpreting the Prohibition Era at Museums and Historic Sites is a must-read for any museum professional seeking to uncover the Prohibition era in a museum gallery or program setting. Tapping into public interest by celebrating objects and stories from the local perspective is a wonderful opportunity for museums, but this book will help program developers understand the context in which their story sits. Taking the local story and asking the variety of contextual questions posed in this book will help museums explore the widest possible angle of history and spark countless new interests on the part of visitors. -- Eloise Batic, Director of Exhibitions Research and Development, Indiana Historical Society
Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Part I: The History of Prohibition Chapter 1: Early American Drinking and the Birth of the Temperance Movement Chapter 2: Drinking as a Big Business Chapter 3: The Prohibition Moment Chapter 4: Revolutionary Repeal and the End of a Reform Part II: Interpreting Prohibition History Chapter 5: Repeal's Legacy and Interpreting the Past Chapter 6: Capturing the Local Story Chapter 7: Capturing the National Story and Legacy Appendix: Timeline Notes Bibliography Index About the Author
