The Salvation Army provides soup for unemployed men in New York City on New Year’s Eve 1929 during the Great Depression.
1929: a time for reform by WARREN L. MAYE
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n the 1920s, the world enjoyed a growing prosperity, levity, and optimism. In the United States, the era became known as the “Roaring Twenties.” A surging economy, mass consumerism, and an elevated appreciation of the arts and culture was its legacy. Between 1920 and 1929, the nation’s wealth more than doubled and the gross national product (GNP) expanded by 40 percent. The Salvation Army worldwide also grew exponentially during that time. Evangeline Booth, who was a daughter of William Booth, founder of the Army, was also its charismatic leader in the U.S. Her brother, Bramwell, based in London, served as the Army’s international leader. “Next to William Booth, Bramwell Booth is the greatest general The Salvation Army has ever had, and whose equal we’re unlikely to see again,” said retired General John Larsson during an interview.
Volume 8 Number 5, 2022
photo: Scherl/Süddeutsche Zeitung Photo/Alamy Stock Photo
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