Research Guides: Gatsby: Cultural Background: Origins of Advertising

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Origins of Advertising - 1910s-1930s

Databases to Search

Infobase American History This link opens in a new window
By providing the most comprehensive range of information in one complete resource—subject entries, biographies, primary sources, videos and slideshows, images, timelines, and maps and graphs—American History Online offers a virtual library of American history for educators, students, and researchers of all ages. American History Online now contains the complete content of the American Women's History Online and U.S. Government Online databases.
Gale U.S. History In Context This link opens in a new window
A complete overview of U.S. history that covers the most-studied events, issues, and current information. It includes viewpoint essays, primary documents, articles from reference books, newspaper and magazine articles, and journal content, as well as streaming video and audio.

Internet Sources

Merchandising and Advertising [Library of Congress]
A broad array of Library of Congress source materials documenting the prosperity of the Coolidge years, the nation's transition to a mass-consumer economy, and the role of government in this transition.
Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850 - 1920 [Duke University]
The Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850 - 1920 (EAA) presents over 9,000 images, with database information, relating to the early history of advertising in the United States.
Advertising [Smithsonian]
Part of the Archives Center which holds more than 1,500 collections documenting the history of technology, invention and innovation, business and consumer culture, American music, and popular culture as well as many other topics.
Vintage Ad Browser
Hundreds of historical ads covering over 50 industries. Search by keyword or browse by basic product category and by year.
The Advertising Archives
Contains over 1 million cataloged advertisements, viewable in-browser. Search using the quick search or the category list to view all available ads, and refine your search using the limiters on the left side of the screen.
Ad*Access [Duke University]
Over 7,000 U.S. and Canadian advertisements covering five product categories - Beauty and Hygiene, Radio, Television, Transportation, and World War II propaganda - dated between 1911 and 1955.

Books & eBooks

Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes by Juliann Sivulka
Call Number: 659.10973 SIV
ISBN: 9781111345310
Publication Date: 2011-03-03
The World in Prints by David Rymer
Call Number: 741.674 WOR
ISBN: 9788854415355
Publication Date: 2020-09-01
1900-1919 by Jim Heimann (Editor)
Call Number: 741.67097309041 NIN
ISBN: 9783822825129
Publication Date: 2005-09-01
All American Ads of The 20s by Jim Heimann
Call Number: 741.67097309042 TWE
ISBN: 9783822825112
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
All-American Ads of the 30s by Steven Heller; Jim Heimann
Call Number: 741.6709730904 THI
ISBN: 9783822816202
Publication Date: 2003-11-01

Videos

Advertising in the 1920's
This video is about the different forms of advertising in the 1920's, and how different advertisements spoke to the culture of the period.
Mass Production and Advertising in the 1920s
The impact of mass production, buying on credit, and advertising in the 1920s are discussed.
Advertising in the 1920's