Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington, 21 October | Event in Wilmington | AllEvents

Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington

Delaware Public Archives

Highlights

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025 at 06:00 pm

Woodlawn Library

Advertisement

Date & Location

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025 at 06:00 pm (EDT)

Woodlawn Library

Wilmington, United States

Save location for easier access

Only get lost while having fun, not on the road!

About the event

Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington
We often imagine interwar America as a setting straight out of a crime novel—an era of bootleggers, gangsters, organized crime, and the determined lawmen who pursued them. While many of these tales have drifted into myth, primary sources reveal the remarkable true stories of one of the most turbulent periods in American history.

The Wilmington Police Pedigree Files provide a rich archive of crime and justice in early 20th-century Delaware. These records chronicle everything from career jewel thieves to intricate schemes of deception and murder. They also shed light on the broader social challenges of the time, including racial discrimination, unequal treatment, and harsh punishments that reflect the era’s inequalities and struggles.

Whether you’re exploring political history or seeking inspiration for a noir novel, this collection offers invaluable insights. Join us as we uncover the crime, intrigue, and complexity of old Wilmington through the collections of the Delaware Public Archives.

Presented by Joe Sullivan.

https://archives.delaware.gov/events/like-thieves-in-the-night-crime-and-punishment-in-jazz-age-wilmington-copy-2/


You may also like the following events from Delaware Public Archives:

Also check out other Music events in Wilmington, Entertainment events in Wilmington.

interested
Stay in the loop for updates and never miss a thing. Are you interested?
Yes
No

Ticket Info

To stay informed about ticket information or to know if tickets are not required, click the 'Notify me' button below.

Advertisement

Event Tags

Nearby Hotels

Woodlawn Library, Wilmington, United States
Get updates and reminders

Host Details

Delaware Public Archives

Delaware Public Archives

Are you the host? Claim Event

Advertisement
Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington, 21 October | Event in Wilmington | AllEvents
Like Thieves in the Night: Crime and Punishment in Jazz-age Wilmington
Tue, 21 Oct, 2025 at 06:00 pm