ABSTRACT
On November 28, 1942, over a thousand people packed into a nightclub that was rated for a maximum capacity of 460 named The Cocoanut Grove in downtown Boston. The club was dark on the outside, because Boston was under blackout orders due to the war. Inside, however, it was full of light and lavishly decorated. The owner of the club, a man named Barney Welansky, had enough political connections not to worry about the fire code. Exits were blocked by decorations and furniture, and in some cases even bricked or boarded over to prevent “dine and dash” problems. The club was decorated in a tropical theme, with paper palm trees and satin canopies. Patrons entered and exited the crowded space through a revolving door (Esposito, 2006).
