Among the many reasons saloons were perceived negatively before prohibition was because of their supposed connection to criminal activity. The article below alleged that Joe Watson's Saloon in Hell's Half Acre had gang support helping defend the business.
Reformers in Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Nashville had nothing but complaints when discussing the neighborhood of Black Bottom. Compared to other African American areas, Black Bottom was seen to be full of saloons, brothels, and other places of sin.
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