Aired Thursday May 6, 1:15pm - 2:20pmon PBS

Prohibition

A Sea of Rum

In the Jazz Age of the mid-1920s, illegal bars called speakeasies become a symbol of glamorous city nightlife as reporters like Lois Long of The New Yorker chronicle their generation's glittering debauchery. In Chicago, Al Capone becomes a celebrity, holding press conferences to promote his image while his murderous gang rises in power. To many, Prohibition looks more and more like a terrible mistake.

Category
Documentary / History / Law / Miniseries
Original air date
2011-12-17
Cast and crew
  • Ken BurnsDirector
  • Lynn NovickDirector
  • Peter CoyoteNarrator