Pass the Rum: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

The WCTU Fountain in Salem, NJ

This program looks at historical attempts to regulate the consumption of alcohol over the centuries. While most people are aware of prohibition in the 1920s, during the so-called Noble Experiment, attempts to regulate the behavior extends far back into our past. While the program pays deeper attention to the modern era, as the nation and the State of Delaware struggled to live with the prohibition law for nearly 14 years, it takes a much longer view. During the presentation the audience will hear colorful stories of rum runners, moonshiners, bathtub gin, intriguing personalities, complicated politics, organized crime, outgunned lawmen, and the temperance movement.