New York in the Progressive Era

The years 1890-1920 produced sweeping reforms and profound changes in American life and especially in New York State. Reacting to the great inequalities from the Gilded Age, reformers pressed for laws for better housing, women’s suffrage, personal income tax, labor protections, and what were early environmental and wilderness conservation initiatives, plus much more. This era saw innovative ways of combatting social issues with the development of movements, such as the one that created Settlement Houses, which started in America on the Lower East Side – a neighborhood teaming with poor Jewish immigrants at that time.

Join us for a talk on Zoom by author Paul Kaplan whose book, New York in the Progressive Era: Social Reform and Cultural Upheaval from 1890-1920, will take you on a journey discussing these social movements, and how they affected life as we know it now.

Covered in this presentation will be:

• How the Progressive Era came about in reaction to the Gilded Age

• Calls for Reforms (many by noted Jewish leaders)

• Women’s Suffrage

• Early Environmental Conservation

• Worker Rights

• Transportation Expansion

• Jewish leaders and voices of this period Paul will share archival photos, videos, poetry, and quotes from some of the people he will talk about.

Mr. Kaplan has published 6 books from History Press, Pelican, and Quill Driver Books, writing them under 3 series: #1 -Cultural Guides, #2 – Social History & Biographies, and #3 – Business Technology Marketing.