By today’s standards, the idea of a constitutional amendment banning alcohol in the U.S. seems preposterous, oppressive, and just plain naïve. But 92 years ago, when the National Prohibition Act passed, it was widely backed. Of course, Prohibition was eventually repealed, but not before it had far-reaching consequences on American gender relations, crime, popular culture, and politics. A new three-part documentary series called “Prohibition” tells this uniquely American story on PBS, beginning October 2. “Prohibition” is directed by Ken Burns, the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker behind dozens of documentaries, including “The Civil War” and “Jazz.” Lynn Novick, Burns’s longtime collaborator, co-directed “Prohibition.”
Here’s a sneak peek at “Prohibition”: