B+W photo of Stevens Institute students in snake line celebrating legalization of 3.2 pct beer, on Washington St. north of First St. Hoboken, Apr. 7, 1933.
B+W photo of Stevens Institute students in snake line celebrating legalization of 3.2 pct beer, on Washington St. north of First St. Hoboken, Apr. 7, 1933.
Entry/Object ID
2014.001.0135
Description
Black-and-white photo of Stevens Institute of Technology students in a snake line on Washington Street north of First Street, celebrating the legalization of 3.2 percent beer, Hoboken, April 7, 1933. 7" x 9" wide print.
Photograph by Acme Newspictures. Reverse has their inkstamp credit; attached mimeographed caption; dated inkstamp: Ref. Dept. Apr 10 1933 N.E.A. [Newspaper Editors Association]
See photos 2014.001.0086 and .0087 for other images related to this event.
The April 7th date became known as "National Beer Day" as it was the first day in thirteen years that 3.2 percent beer could be legally brewed and sold. (Per the Cullen-Harrison Act, March 27, 1933, that amended the Volstead Act of 1920 - it was NOT the repeal date of Prohibition - see notes.)
View is southwest to the intersection of First and Washington. Hoboken City Hall is seen along with stores on the west side of Washington. A student leads the snake line carrying a large sign: Free Beer Beer- Beer Join the Parade TDs.
Many participants in the parade are wearing raincoats and hats with a couple in Stevens letter sweaters.
Text of caption on reverse:
230365
STUDENTS CELEBRATE BEER RETURN
After staging a drinking party on the campus of the school, hundreds of students at Stevens Institute in Hoboken N.J. paraded through the streets in a gigantic snake dance celebrating the return of beer. This photo show part of the winding chain during the parade.
CREDIT LINE (ACME) 4/7/33
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Acquisition
Accession
2014.001
Source or Donor
Purchase
Acquisition Method
Purchase
Credit Line
Museum Collections.
Made/Created
Artist
Acme Newspictures
Date made
1933
Place
Location
Hoboken
Dimensions
Height
7 in
Width
9 in
General Notes
Note
Notes: Per Wikipedia, 2014: The beginning of the end of Prohibition in the United States occurred as a result of the Cullen-Harrison Act and its signing into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on March 23, 1933. Sales of beer in the U.S would become legal on April 7, 1933, provided that the state in question had enacted its own law allowing such sales. The beer had to have an alcohol content less than 3.2% (4% ABV), compared to the 0.5% limit of the Volstead Act, because 3.2% was considered too low to produce intoxication. On the evening of April 6, people lined up outside breweries and taverns, waiting for midnight when they would be able to legally purchase beer for the first time in over 13 years. Since then, the night of April 6 has been referred to as "New Beer's Eve" and April 7th is known as "National Beer Day"
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December 5, 1933 is the date the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified and Prohibition was fully repealed at the federal level.
Original or Copy: Original
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2014-05-28
