Al Capone's Influence On American Culture

As the sun goes down on this decade of splendor and scandal, the American people look to the people who shaped the culture of this era. With the eighteenth amendment’s power still rampant in the nation today, certain men were catalysts to the industry which formed on the coattails of this policy. Al Capone, as many Americans know him, was—and still is—a key influencer in the bootlegging sphere. Because of this man’s dirty work, the country kept on indulging in the face of prohibition.

As far as the public currently knows, Capone became entangled with gang affairs around 1920 when he aided in brewing and distribution of alcohol in Chicago. Over the course of a few years, the mob continued to wreak havoc on the city, entrenching itself into

all facets of public life. Naturally, illicit methods were used to cover up racketeering and sway public officials in the mafia’s favor. This wasn’t limited to swaying a mayoral election by killing voters on their way to support a candidate who wanted reform. The current mayor notoriously had a sort of alliance with Capone, leading politicians to urge for an end to such corruption.
Earlier in the decade, the head of this gang was assassinated. Then, in 1925, an attempt was made on the new leader’s life, thus leading him out of the business. In turn, this out Capone at the head of his syndicate, giving him control over most organized crime in Chicago. As his power continued, rival gangs were dissipated, leaving Al Capone as the law of the land in many neighborhoods. His sphere of influence was widened by the lifestyle he led, from hosting a lavish headquarters to heavy spending, bringing him more attention.
This year, the man made headlines month after month, capturing the public eye more than ever. He was originally attributed to have orchestrated the St. Valentine’s Day massacre in which many members of a rival gang were murdered, but his absence from the city relinquished him of suspicion. He seemed to be untouchable to the law, with the New York Times reporting this year that “though his name has been linked with many killings in Chicago’s gang war and he has been under arrest, his record there is technically unblemished.” Over months, he faced jail for various offenses such as carrying a concealed handgun or contempt in court, drawing him closer to the spotlight. Author Edward Dean Sullivan stated in the North American Review that Capone and Hoover were the two most powerful men in the nation by this decade’s end.
As his notoriety grew, the president got involved and demanded government agencies attempt to shut him down with tax evasion infractions. Policy was changed to declare money accrued through illicit activity as taxable, so this left Capone fully culpable, even without as heavy of evidence. Since this announcement, the government has been scrambling to gather records and put Al Capone away, with the efforts still going on to this day. In the coming years we shall see what will become of this man who truly shaped an era.