The 1950’s The Meaning Behind the Decade Essay - 1835 Words

The 1950’s was a time in history when America began to flourish, through its advancements in music, technology, and its emphasis on the individual. The emergence of Rock and Roll contributed to the birth of the ‘rebel’ by giving teenagers an excuse to disobey their parents through the expression of music. Adults of the 1950’s insisted that Rock and Roll corrupted the minds of the youth. This revolution in music not only affected the decade from an entertainment standpoint, but also from a fashion perspective. Teenagers wore leather jackets, poodle skirts, slicked back hair, and beehive hairdos. Through sports and the civil rights act, blacks began to be more accepted into the 1950’s society. Although segregation was still alive, many†¦show more content†¦He who would know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball,† reported culturist Jacques Barzun during the 1950s (Voigt 3). This quote sums up how baseball was muc h more than a sport for Americans. Baseball heroes gave hope to citizens fearing Communism and recollecting World War II. Sports were viewed as the finest example of freedom in the 1950’s because each man could earn exactly what he was worth. In the 1950’s Rock and Roll emerged as a type of music that influenced America even to this day. After World War II, the population found money more readily available and it was only logical for record labels and radio stations to play a mixture of jazz, RB, and pop. Rock and Roll developed from the merging of black music with white urban listeners. Teens used this type of music as a source of individual expression, since it was against the approval of their parents (Noyer 11). The success of Rock and Roll was mostly due to radio. Concerts and American Idol did not exist in the 50’s and those who wanted to hear Rock and Roll had to turn on their trusty radios. Although Rock and Roll flourished in this decade, many parents and religious groups were opposed. They claimed sexual references were hidden amongst the lyrics and many radio stations started banning this music genre (Kallen 79, 84). In the 1950’s, teenagers were given a reasonShow MoreRelated 1950s Culture Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye Essay1361 Words   |  6 Pages1950s Culture Exposed in The Catcher in the Rye    J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye is a remarkable book that gives readers a unique and perhaps gloomy perspective of the 1950s through Holden Caulfield, a cynical and peculiar teenager. Through The Catcher in the Rye Salinger describes important aspects of the 1950s. Salinger emphasizes several key characteristics of the 50s and criticizes them through Holden. In addition, Holden Caulfield is a very interesting character withRead MoreThe Social Policy Welfare Programs1343 Words   |  6 PagesEurope and how each country approaches the issue. In particularly, Russell explains how poverty is measured, poverty reduction, and the politics of poverty reduction. 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