World Events in 1921
Tulsa Race Massacre
On 31 May and 1 June, white mobs attacked the prosperous Black neighbourhood of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing an estimated 300 people and destroying 35 blocks. It was one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history.
Anglo-Irish Treaty Signed
On 6 December, British and Irish negotiators signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, establishing the Irish Free State while partitioning Northern Ireland. It ended the War of Independence but triggered a civil war.
Chinese Communist Party Founded
The CCP was founded in Shanghai in July 1921, with Mao Zedong among its earliest members. It would go on to reshape the 20th century.
Russian Famine
A devastating famine struck Soviet Russia, killing an estimated 5 million people. Herbert Hoover organised a massive American relief effort that saved millions more.
British Empire at Its Zenith
The British Empire reached its greatest territorial extent, covering roughly a quarter of the world's land surface and governing around 458 million people.
Music in 1921
"My Man"
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice's torch song 'My Man' became one of the most popular songs of 1921. The recording industry was booming as phonographs became more affordable household items.
"Say It with Music"
Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
Paul Whiteman, the self-proclaimed 'King of Jazz', dominated the early 1920s charts. Irving Berlin's 'Say It with Music' was a huge hit, reflecting the public's hunger for dance music.
#1 Film of 1921
The Kid
Box Office: $5.4 million
Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length film was a sensation, blending comedy with genuine pathos. Six-year-old Jackie Coogan became the first child star. It was the second-highest grossing film of the year behind 'The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'.
Born in 1921
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Consort of Queen Elizabeth II for over 70 years
John Glenn
First American to orbit Earth, later US Senator
Betty Friedan
Feminist author (The Feminine Mystique)
Donna Reed
Actress (It's a Wonderful Life, From Here to Eternity)
Lost in 1921
Enrico Caruso
Italian operatic tenor, first major recording star
Age 48
Pyotr Kropotkin
Russian anarchist philosopher and scientist
Age 78
Camille Saint-Saëns
French composer (Carnival of the Animals, Organ Symphony)
Age 86
Technology in 1921
Radio ownership was growing rapidly. The first in-flight movie was shown on a test flight. Insulin was discovered by Banting and Best in Toronto, transforming diabetes from a death sentence. Automobiles were becoming a common sight on city streets, though horses still shared the roads.
- ● Frederick Banting and Charles Best discover insulin
- ● First radio sports broadcast — boxing match on KDKA
- ● Chanel No. 5 perfume launched
- ● Albert Einstein awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
Cost of Living in 1921
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £310 | $4,100 |
| Average salary | £105 | $1,230 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | $0.07 |
| Loaf of bread | 4d | $0.10 |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 4d | $0.52 |
| Pint of beer | 4d | Prohibited |
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The Zeitgeist of 1921
A sharp post-war recession gripped both sides of the Atlantic. Unemployment soared. But the cultural appetite for escapism was fierce — cinemas were packed, dance halls thrived, and jazz spread from city to city. The flapper was emerging as a cultural icon, scandalising older generations with bobbed hair and shorter skirts.
In the News in 1921
Warren G. Harding was inaugurated as the 29th US President, promising a 'return to normalcy.' The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in December, creating the Irish Free State. Tulsa, Oklahoma saw one of the worst racial massacres in American history. Albert Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics.