Audrey Emery

Music

Jazz musician pay increased significantly by 1920s

In New Orleans, jazz musicians' earnings rose significantly, with some increasing from $1.50 per night in early dance halls to $25 per night at upscale locations by the mid-1920s.

Daily life

Kerosene lamps provided limited household light

In the early 1900s, rural families primarily used kerosene lamps for light, which provided only about 25 watts of illumination and required messy weekly maintenance to clean soot from glass chimneys.

What it cost

Weekly earnings for workers

An unskilled worker in the early 1900s earned about $10 a week, while many textile workers averaged around $8.76 for a full week's work in 1911.

What people wore

The versatile shirtwaist blouse

The shirtwaist, a simple long-sleeved blouse, was a staple for working women because it could be tucked into a single skirt, making it appear as though she owned multiple outfits.

Getting around

Limited paved roads in 1904

By 1904, there were approximately two million miles of public highway in the United States, though only 140,000 miles were covered with gravel or macadam.

At the table

Pasta was sold by the pound, loose

In urban shops, pasta was sold in large coils or lengths rather than pre-packaged boxes, and shopkeepers sold broken pasta bits for pennies a pound for soup.