Prohibition in Atlanta: Temperance, Tiger Kings & White Lightning

Ron Smith · Mary O. Boyle

Jun 2015 · Arcadia Publishing

About this ebook

After the Civil War, state and national Prohibition galvanized in Atlanta the issues of classism, racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. While many consider flappers and gangsters the iconic images of the era, in reality, it was marked with temperance zealotry, blind tigers and white lightning. Georgia's protracted and intense battle changed the industrial and social landscapes of its capital city and unleashed a flood of illegal liquor that continually flowed in the wettest city in the South. Moonshine was the toast of the town from mill houses to the state capitol. The state eventually repealed prohibition, but the social, moral and legal repercussions still linger seventy years later. Join authors Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle as they recount the colorful history of Atlanta's struggle to freely enjoy a drink.

About the author

In addition to co-authoring Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South, Ron Smith has hosted beer and food pairing dinners and beer education sessions. He was a featured speaker for the Georgia Center for the Book in 2014. Together with Mary Boyle, he developed the Malts and Vaults tour at Atlanta's Historic Oakland Cemetery. An obsessive researcher, Ron is deeply interested in the history of beverage alcohol in the American South and its role in society.