Overview
Newark was once home to many breweries, and by 1900 there were more than 1,200 bars (almost one on every corner). But Newark was also a center of progressive politics which favored restrictions on alcohol consumption. While alcohol was a major source of employment and bars were centers of social life, especially in immigrant neighborhoods, liquor was also seen as a source of many social problems, including violence, crime, and unemployment. Debates over alcohol played out for decades in Newark’s pulpits, courtrooms, and newspapers, culminating in Prohibition and the 18th amendment.
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