The 1920s Lifestyles and Social Trends: Headline Makers

Bruce Barton (1886–1967) A minister's son, Bruce Barton applied the concepts of Christianity to his writings by presenting Jesus as a modern man. In his best-selling book The Man Nobody Knows (1925), Barton depicted Jesus as a strong outdoorsman and "the founder of modern business." With his unorthodox take on the gospel, Barton's intention was to bring readers back to the church. His works did rekindle many Americans' faith. He coined the phrase that became the Salvation Army's slogan: "A man may be down, but he's never out."

Hattie Carnegie (1886–1956) Businesswoman Hattie Carnegie coordinated with top Paris designers and her own American staff to bring haute couture (high fashion) to American women. Her custom fashions appealed to rich and famous women and sparked a multimillion dollar fashion empire. She was the first entrepreneur to sell ready-to-wear clothing and a custom line under a single label. Carnegie also was among the first to complement a clothing line with a separate line of accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, and perfume.

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883–1971) French fashion designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel ran a fashion empire. Since the 1920s, her visions of simplicity and functionality have influenced women's clothing styles throughout Europe and the United States. Staples of Chanel's fashion house include the simple black chemise dress and the Chanel suit with its short, open, collarless jacket. She began marketing her world-renowned Chanel No. 5 perfume in 1922. Chanel was born into poverty, the daughter of a poorhouse worker, lacking any social contacts. As a young adult, she learned how to network with the wealthy.

Albert Kahn (1869–1942) Called the father of the modern American factory, Albert Kahn designed notable industrial plants that were both practical and visually pleasing. At a time when respected architects were designing museums and monuments, Kahn was among the first to turn his attention to the industrial workplace. Among his most notable projects was the Ford Motor Company plant (1909–14) in Highland Park, Michigan, which combined under one roof all the assembly line processes that went into the construction of the Model T Ford. Between 1929 and 1932, Kahn directed the construction of 521 factories.

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890–1944) Sister Aimee, as she was called, was one of the few women in the United States to form her own religous denomination (an organization uniting several congregations). With a strong commitment to saving souls, she traveled the country preaching and eventually found a permanent site for her Full Square Gospel Church in Los Angeles in 1918. Her flamboyant speaking style and her private life which was filled with dubious publicity-seeking events attracted large crowds to her revival meetings. McPherson also became a radio celebrity, and in 1924 she opened station KFSG (Kall Full Square Gospel), the first full-time religious radio station.

Addison Mizner (1872–1933) Addison Mizner's most notable contributions are his architectural designs for the ornate mansions of Palm Beach, Florida. Mizner invested in the Florida real estate boom of the 1920s by designing the city of Boca Raton. When that boom turned to bust in 1926, Mizner abandoned Boca Raton for other projects, including The Cloisters at Sea Island, Georgia. His designs often have been criticized as garish and gaudy; however, Mizner's supporters included other top architects and designers of the decade.

Emily Post (1872–1960) America's most famous authority on etiquette, Emily Post was brought up in a genteel Baltimore household where she was tutored by a governess. After graduating from Miss Graham's finishing school, she made her society debut and then married a wealthy businessman. In 1922, she authored her first book on the subject of etiquette. In it and subsequent writings, Post codified American manners and modified traditional etiquette to suit the exuberance of contemporary life. Her appeal was widespread and drew many middle-class readers. For many years, Post wrote a syndicated magazine column on etiquette, and in 1946 opened the Emily Post Institute in her pursuit to establish standards of politeness and decorum.

William "Billy" Sunday (1862–1935) William "Billy" Sunday was the most famous revivalist preacher in the United States during the 1910s and early 1920s. He fused the concepts of Christianity and American patriotism, and he called for an end to drinking liquor. During the late 1920s, Sunday held flashy, earthy revival meetings along the "sawdust trail" of the South and Midwest, rather than in the more sophisticated Northern cities where he was viewed as vulgar and crude. Sunday became a millionaire preaching against the sin of "demon rum," but his wealth brought questions of unethical financial gain from "love offerings" he kept that should have gone to local organizing groups.