Noah Vinter
Despite Prohibition, Americans found ways to keep drinking. There were many loopholes to exploit: pharmacists could prescribe whiskey for medicinal purposes, so many pharmacies became fronts for bootlegging operations; grape juice (which would turn into wine if left to sit) was not restricted; and industry was permitted to use alcohol for production purposes, though much was diverted for drinking. Some people also made their own moonshine at home. Bootleggers smuggled alcohol into the country or distilled their own, speakeasies proliferated, and organised crime syndicates formed to coordinate the activities within the black-market alcohol industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wealthy people bought out entire liquor stores | The upper classes stockpiled alcohol for legal home consumption after Prohibition began. They bought the inventories of liquor retailers and wholesalers, emptying out their warehouses, saloons, and club storerooms. |
| Bootlegging | The trade in illegal alcohol became more lucrative, but the quality of alcohol on the black market declined. |
| Home stills | Home stills were technically illegal, but Americans could purchase them at hardware stores, and instructions for distilling could be found in pamphlets issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. |
| Religion | Americans were allowed to obtain wine for religious purposes, so enrollments rose at churches and synagogues. |
| Alcoholics | Prohibition was unkind to alcoholics, as their supply was not cut off, but those who recognized their drinking as destructive were not lucky in finding help. |
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What You'll Learn
Wealthy people bought out entire liquor stores
During the Prohibition era in the United States, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages were prohibited. However, some wealthy individuals found ways to ensure they still had access to alcohol. One notable method was buying out entire liquor stores before the prohibition laws came into effect.
Indeed, before the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect in January 1920, many members of the upper classes stockpiled alcohol for legal home consumption. They purchased the inventories of liquor retailers and wholesalers, leaving their warehouses, saloons, and club storerooms empty. This action was legal, and it ensured that the wealthy had a substantial supply of alcohol to last them through the Prohibition era.
One famous example of this was Charlotte Hennessey Smith, a silent film actress and mother to the famed actress Mary Pickford. She bought out an entire liquor store, ensuring her access to alcohol during prohibition. President Woodrow Wilson also moved his supply of alcoholic beverages to his Washington residence after his term ended, and his successor, Warren G. Harding, brought his large supply into the White House.
The ability of the wealthy to buy out liquor stores highlights the social and economic inequalities of the time. While the rich could afford to stockpile alcohol, the working-class faced legal repercussions for possessing even a single bottle of home-brewed liquor. This disparity inflamed tensions, and the illegal trade in alcohol during Prohibition contributed to the creation of a black market that undermined the formal economy.
Furthermore, the Prohibition era led to a decline in the amusement and entertainment industries, as restaurants and theaters struggled without legal liquor sales. The negative economic impact extended to the loss of tax revenue from alcohol sales, which affected state governments. Overall, the Prohibition era in the United States had far-reaching consequences, and the actions of the wealthy in buying out liquor stores exemplify the social and economic inequalities of that time.
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Home stills were popular
The American grape industry also contributed to the popularity of home stills. They sold kits of juice concentrate with warnings not to leave them sitting for too long, as they could ferment and turn into wine. The law allowed Americans to obtain wine for religious purposes, so cities saw a rise in the number of self-professed rabbis who could obtain wine for their congregations.
The popularity of home stills highlights how the law that was meant to stop Americans from drinking alcohol instead turned many of them into experts on how to make it. As the trade in illegal alcohol became more lucrative, the quality of alcohol on the black market declined, and an estimated 1000 Americans died each year from drinking tainted liquor.
In addition to home stills, some wealthy individuals bought out entire liquor stores before Prohibition began to ensure they had alcohol for home consumption. This further demonstrates the ways in which people subverted the law and maintained access to alcohol during the Prohibition era.
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Bootlegging by police and Prohibition agents
During the Prohibition era in the United States, the illegal trade in alcohol, or "bootlegging", was rampant and widespread. The task of enforcing Prohibition laws fell largely on Prohibition agents and state and local police officers, who were tasked with keeping watch for bootleggers along the country's extensive shoreline and borders with Canada and Mexico.
However, the sheer scale of the task made enforcement extremely challenging, and many Prohibition agents and police officers became complicit in the illegal alcohol trade. The salaries of Prohibition agents ranged from $1,200 to $3,000 per year, and many were tempted by the opportunity to accept bribes or to become bootleggers themselves. As early as 1921, the Prohibition Unit terminated 100 of its agents in New York for taking bribes after issuing permits for legal alcohol. Some agents had direct ties to bootleggers or were bootleggers themselves, and local police officers often took payoffs from bootleggers in exchange for tipping them off about federal raids.
Organized crime groups dominated the bootlegging industry, and they bribed law enforcement officials, including policemen, judges, juries, and even federal Prohibition agents, as part of the cost of doing business. The enormous profits from the illegal alcohol trade led to the emergence of powerful criminal groups, such as the Outfit in Chicago, led by Al Capone, who controlled 20,000 speakeasies and employed 1,000 hoodlums.
The involvement of law enforcement officials in bootlegging activities had a significant impact on public trust in law enforcement during the Prohibition era. Despite the efforts of honest Prohibition agents like Eliot Ness, who famously pursued Al Capone, the stereotype of the corrupt Prohibition agent or local police officer became entrenched in the public imagination.
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People joined churches to obtain wine
During the Prohibition era, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, the United States prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. However, one way people could still obtain alcohol was through religious exemptions. The Volstead Act, which enabled the government to enforce the 18th Amendment, allowed exceptions for religious purposes, including the use of sacramental wine in churches and synagogues.
This led to an increase in enrollment at religious institutions, as people joined churches to obtain wine. In fact, there was a notable rise in the number of self-professed rabbis, as some people took advantage of the additional accommodations for rabbis to purchase wine for their congregations. This resulted in the formation of fake congregations for the sole purpose of obtaining wine without fear of prosecution.
The San Antonio Winery, founded in 1917 by Santo Cambianica, is a notable example of a winery that survived Prohibition by supplying sacramental wine to churches. Cambianica, a devout Catholic, named his winery after St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of lost things, travelers, and the poor. During Prohibition, the winery struck a deal to continue making sacramental wine, and today it is the largest supplier of sacramental wine in the country.
The religious exemption for sacramental wine had far-reaching impacts on the wine industry and religious communities. It shaped the regulations and market for sacramental wine, with a few companies dominating the market due to high barriers to entry. Legitimate congregations also faced challenges due to the disrepute brought by pseudo-religious groups exploiting the exemption.
While the religious exemption provided a legal means of obtaining wine, it also led to abuses and illegal activities. For example, a New York wholesaler discovered that nine barrels of wine had been siphoned through a 75-foot pipe to another seller, highlighting the lengths to which people would go to obtain alcohol during Prohibition.
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Alcoholics could still find liquor
The trade in illegal alcohol became very lucrative, and the black market flourished. As a result, millions of Americans became criminals, and law enforcement was negatively impacted. Police officers and Prohibition agents were often tempted by bribes or the opportunity to go into bootlegging themselves. The quality of alcohol on the black market also declined, and on average, 1,000 Americans died each year from drinking tainted liquor.
Another way people obtained alcohol was through religious channels. Americans were allowed to obtain wine for religious purposes, so enrolments rose at churches and synagogues. Cities saw a large increase in the number of self-professed rabbis who could obtain wine for their congregations.
Home stills were technically illegal, but Americans could purchase them at hardware stores and find instructions for distilling in pamphlets from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The American grape industry also sold kits of juice concentrate with warnings not to leave them sitting too long, or they would ferment and turn into wine.
Speakeasies became very popular during Prohibition, and this had an effect on the music industry, particularly jazz. The Great Depression's migratory effects led to the dispersal of jazz music from New Orleans to Chicago and New York, leading to the development of different styles in different cities.
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Frequently asked questions
Although it was illegal to buy or sell alcohol during the Prohibition era, it was not illegal to consume it. As a result, many people stockpiled alcohol for home consumption before the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect in January 1920.
Yes, historian Lizabeth Cohen writes, "A rich family could have a cellar-full of liquor and get by, it seemed, but if a poor family had one bottle of home-brew, there would be trouble."
The sums of money being exchanged during the Prohibition era proved a corrupting influence on law enforcement. Police officers and Prohibition agents were frequently tempted by bribes or the opportunity to go into bootlegging themselves.
As the trade in illegal alcohol became more lucrative, the quality of alcohol on the black market declined. On average, 1,000 Americans died each year during Prohibition from drinking tainted liquor.
During Prohibition, Americans were allowed to obtain wine for religious purposes, so enrollments rose at churches and synagogues. The oldest winery in America managed to stay open during Prohibition through this loophole.
