Tampa Life
In the midst of the lawless Prohibition years in Tampa, several citizens became concerned about the widespread crime and civic corruption in the city. Fresh off of his unsuccessful re-election campaign, former municipal judge (and legislator) Leo Stalnaker was keen to lash out against liquor, gambling, and Tampa’s government. Stalnaker and other partners formed the newspaper Tampa Life in 1929 to report on the corruption that the other local papers seemed to ignore. Tampa Life had three chief obsessions: exposing corruption, espousing racism, and teaching the Holy Bible. The paper printed weekly Sunday school lessons for readers to teach their children. While other newspapers ridiculed the Klan, Tampa Life defended it. After being attacked for passing salacious rumors about local high school girls, Tampa Life found itself in steep decline and went out of business some time in 1930. Only a few of the issues survive, but they offer a valuable glimpse into the minds of “dry” advocates in a very “wet” town.
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