Sips from the Stacks: The End of Prohibition
On December 5, the country will commemorate 92 years since one of the most profound shifts in constitutional history became official: the ratification of the 21st Amendment. The measure repealed Prohibition and ended a national experiment that had prohibited alcohol sales for more than a decade. The National Archives holds extensive holdings related to Prohibition and its repeal, and more generally, records related to spirits and cocktails. To celebrate this occasion, enjoy some highlights pulled straight from the records, including cocktails (and mocktails) you can show off at upcoming holiday parties.
Prohibition first came about as a reaction to the rise of progressivist activism in the early 20th century. Reformers saw alcohol consumption as the root cause of social problems such as poverty, violence, and corruption. Wartime patriotism during World War I further strengthened the temperance cause, as grain conservation and anti-immigrant sentiment made alcohol seem both wasteful and un-American. These forces helped build the political momentum that culminated in the 18th Amendment, outlawing the manufacturing and distribution of alcoholic beverages, and the Volstead Act, which enforced it.
By early 1933, public opinion, economic pressure, and shifting political leadership had created the conditions for repeal. After more than a decade of Prohibition, enforcement had become increasingly difficult and costly, while bootlegging and organized crime were flourishing. The onset of the Great Depression intensified demands for new sources of tax revenue, much of which sales of legal alcohol could provide. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1932 presidential campaign openly supported modifying or ending Prohibition, and his victory signaled a change in the national mood.
Amid this changing political landscape, lawmakers moved swiftly. On February 20, 1933, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment, the first (and only) constitutional amendment drafted to repeal another. Little by little, state by state, repeal was realized.
The final months of Prohibition are captured vividly by Universal Newsreels preserved in the National Archives Motion Picture Branch. The Archives became steward of this extraordinary collection when Universal Studios deeded its edited newsreels and extensive outtakes to the United States in 1974, ensuring that decades of pre-television news coverage, including the story of repeal, would be fully accessible for future generations. As the reel below demonstrates, even as states continued to hold ratifying conventions on the question of the 21st Amendment, distributors across the country ramped up production. In other words, the nation was already acting “wet” after such a long dry period, including celebrating the creation of up to “500,000 new jobs.”
When full repeal arrived on December 5, 1933, another newsreel showed revelers openly raising glasses. Yet dissent persisted; a 1937 newsreel documents the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union vowing that Prohibition would return.
With the history lesson behind us, we now turn to its lighter legacy: the drinks it inspired. Below, enjoy a festive recipe alongside a quirky archival record that shows just how inventive Americans have been with their drinks.
Not-Too-Rough Rider: Teddy Roosevelt’s (Zero-Proof) Mint Julep
Despite his larger-than-life persona, President Theodore Roosevelt was a rather moderate drinker. As author Mark Will-Weber explained in his 2015 program at the National Archives on Presidential drinkers, TR really only indulged in mint juleps while playing tennis. Since the White House tennis court was located next to a huge bed of mint, he enticed others to play matches with him by promising to serve them his signature mint juleps.
Ingredients:
One bunch of fresh mint leaves (plus extra for garnish)
2 teaspoons simple syrup
10-12 oz. sparkling water or club soda
Optional: Ginger ale
Instructions:
Muddle the mint: In a small pitcher or individual glasses, gently muddle the mint leaves with the simple syrup to release their aroma and oils.
Next, fill two glasses with crushed ice.
Then, add the fizz by pouring the sparkling water over the ice and muddled mint, dividing evenly between the glasses. Stir gently. Cut the mixture with ginger ale for more flavor.
Garnish and serve with a fresh mint sprig or lemon wedge.
Architecture of a Cocktail
This peculiar record shows a wide range of cocktails, but not as a typical recipe book would. For reasons unknown (although some have dug into it), the late Forest Service Region 8 Engineer Cleve Ketcham created an architectural chart diagramming standard, iconic cocktail recipes. Use the key to determine the ingredients, then match it to each cocktail’s exact measurements and specifications. Think you can pull off a martini using this diagram alone?
This charming illustration exemplifies some of the fun items you can find in the holdings. This one is so much fun, in fact, that you can even purchase it as a print or wallet from our National Archives Store. Cheers!
