12 Halloween photos that show how the holiday has changed in America over the last 100 years

AP

Laurie Cabot, the "White Witch of Salem," shown with friends at a recent Halloween party in Salem, Mass, Oct. 31, 1974, is stirring up controversy with her scheduled address to an adult education class in nearby Georgetown.

Halloween has an extensive history, dating back to Celtic rituals 2,000 years ago.

In the US, the holiday fuels an entire industry, with millions of Americans spending billions on Halloween costumes each year, according to the National Retail Foundation. Before the 1920s, Halloween costumes were more commonly handmade, and were simpler and more terrifying.

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But over the course of American history, Halloween costumes have become more complex, interesting, and (in some cases) tawdry.

Take a look to see how Halloween costumes have changed over the course of the last century.