Vol. 1930s · No. 1931 · PRICE 25¢
The 1931 Times
AI-Generated Historical Illustration
May 1, 1931 | New York City, USA
Monuments Monsters and the Shadow of Depression
In 1931, the Great Depression cast a long shadow over the globe, yet humanity built towering marvels and enduring cultural icons. From soaring skyscrapers in New York to iconic horror on the silver screen, it was a year defined by resilience and reinvention.
Christ the Redeemer Statue Unveiled
Perched atop Mount Corcovado, the massive Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ opened to the world, becoming a globally recognized emblem of Rio de Janeiro and Brazilian Christianity.
Al Capone Convicted of Tax Evasion
The notorious Prohibition-era Chicago crime boss was finally brought down not for violent racketeering, but by federal income tax evasion charges.
Also this year
Release of 'Frankenstein'
November 21, 1931 | Cinema
Directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff, this iconic horror masterpiece electrified audiences and established the cinematic look of Mary Shelley's tragic monster.
Salvador Dalí Paints 'The Persistence of Memory'
1931 | Surrealism Art
Spanish artist Salvador Dalí created his famous surrealist masterpiece featuring melting pocket watches draped across a desolate landscape, defining Surrealism for generations.
The Mukden Incident
September 18, 1931 | China
A staged railway explosion provided Japan with the pretext to invade Manchuria, setting off a chain of events that signaled the drift toward World War II in Asia.
'The Star-Spangled Banner' Becomes US National Anthem
March 3, 1931 | Washington, D.C.
President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution officially making Francis Scott Key's 1814 poem and tune the official national anthem of the United States.
Proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic
April 14, 1931 | Spain
King Alfonso XIII went into exile after municipal elections, leading to the establishment of a democratic republic that dramatically reshaped Spanish politics.