On September 16, 1920, a horse-drawn cart packed with hundreds of pounds of dynamite exploded in the heart of the Wall Street financial district, killing 38 people, wounding many others, damaging property, and sending a shudder of fear through a nation that was still recovering from the trauma of the "war to end all wars." Narrated by Oliver Platt, this PBS-aired American Experience documentary directed by Susan Bellows resurrects this half-forgotten moment in American history. Resentment lingered along with a feeling that the Great War was a rich man's war, sacrificing millions of lives while accumulating huge fortunes for Wall Street financiers and investors. It was a time of revolution in Russia, widespread labor strikes, and the birth of the phrase "bread or revolution," leading many to fear that America could be the next country to fall to radical violence. Ironically, many of those killed in the Wall Street blast were lowly clerks and messengers, not tycoons. Searching for an enemy, people blamed foreigners. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer mobilized a campaign of roundups, warrantless searches, deportation attempts, and strengthening of anti-immigration laws. This politically ambitious man, known as the "fighting Quaker" for his pacifist principles, was assisted by his young deputy, J. Edgar Hoover, who used his experience with classifying documents at the Library of Congress to pioneer information-gathering techniques. Overnight, "Palmer raids" and the "Red Scare" became national catchphrases. Eventually, the excesses of the hysteria sparked a backlash, and cooler heads prevailed, but not before serious damage was done to constitutional rights. Although the evidence pointed to an Italian anarchist group, the crime was never solved, and no one was charged. Combining archival film footage with scholarly interviews, this documentary offers a revealing look at an historical event that carries current relevance. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)
The Bombing of Wall Street
(2018) 60 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.99 w/PPR). PBS Video. ISBN: 978-1-62789-782-2. Volume 33, Issue 4
The Bombing of Wall Street
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