A speakeasy was an underground, hidden saloon or nightclub that sold liquor illegally. They were called speakeasies because people spoke quietly, or “easily” once inside to avoid discovery. These were used during the years of prohibition in the 1920’s. They were run by people related to organized crime.
SpeakeasySpeakeasies could be found almost anywhere. They were in penthouses, cellars, office buildings, hardware stores, rooming houses, and many other places. To be allowed into a speakeasy, you had to give a password or use a special card. Most of the people in them would be middle to upper-middle class.The police would find them and arrest the owners and people there, but they didn’t care because they were making so much money off of them. Speakeasies became more and more popular throughout America. In the big cities, they would offer food, live music, floor shows, and strippers. Speakeasies caused a lot of corruption because owners would bribe police to not bother them or to give them a notice before they came. Speakeasies were often run by business owners who wanted to make extra money. It would be a family secret, and they would be kept even after Prohibition ended.
Police raiding a speakeasyA blind pig was pretty much the same thing, but for more lower class people. A blind pig owner would charge customers for an attraction, and then offer an alcoholic beverage. Most of the time at speakeasies, men had to have a coat and tie and women had to have an evening dress. This was not the case at a blind pig. They were more for lower class people, and they just offered beer or liquor. There was an estimated 30,000-100,000 blind pigs in New York City in the 1920’s.People started to buy alcohol through prescriptions for medicine or religious purposes. Also, people bought alcohol from bootleggers. A bootlegger was someone who smuggled in liquor from Canada, Cuba, and the West Indies. They got their name from a smuggler’s practice of carrying alcohol in the legs of their boots. People would find ways to hide alcohol in their clothing, as well.
Woman hiding alcoholI think these types of places had too have made a lot of money, and were good for people who needed the extra money. Many people went to speakeasies or blind pigs, and they risked a lot. They could be put in jail, but they didn’t care, and I think they should have thought about what they were doing a little more. But, people at that time just wanted their alcohol, and this was a way to get it. I think that whoever came up with these had to have been a rich person, and they started something big in this time.
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