WINNER OF THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
1919 was a world-shaking year. America was recovering from World War I
and black soldiers returned to racism so violent that that summer would
become known as the Red Summer. The suffrage movement had a long-fought
win when women gained the right to vote. Laborers took to the streets to
protest working conditions; nationalistic fervor led to a communism
scare; and temperance gained such traction that prohibition went into
effect. Each of these movements reached a tipping point that year.
Now, one hundred years later, these same social issues are more relevant
than ever. Sandler traces the momentum and setbacks of these movements
through this last century, showing that progress isn't always a straight
line and offering a unique lens through which we can understand history
and the change many still seek.