1936 Soap Box Derby Challenge

This 1936 film, sponsored by Chevrolet, captures the second annual All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, on a 953.9-foot WPA-built course. It showcases American boys inventing and racing gravity-powered cars, blending spectacle, technology, and masculinity. Amid Depression-era struggles, the event promoted engineering and free enterprise, countering youth malaise. From marbles and football to building go-karts, it celebrates the ideal boy as a future inventor, culminating in a race and awards with patriotic flair.