Despite the public's fascination with sex, murder, and the criminal world, most Americans in small towns and rural areas held tight to their conservative roots in the '20s. They believed in God, the flag, and Prohibition, and they condemned the materialism and modern morals that were showcased on the radio and in magazines and newspapers.

Intolerance was common among this segment of society. They were wary of anyone who was "different," including blacks, immigrants, and liberals. In one midwestern town with few minorities, an observer noted,

The small group of foreign-born mingle little with the rest of the community. Negroes are allowed under protest in the schools but not in the larger motion picture houses or in Y.M.C.A.... They are not to be found in "white" churches; Negro children must play in...