The 1950s Case

Garrett Hoover

Ms. Czerkies

AFEa, Period 1

8 November 2012

The 1950s

When was a kid named Elvis convinced by his music teacher to take guitar lessons? When did Senator McCarthy make communist accusations? When did African-Americans fight for their civil rights and freedoms? The 1950s was the beginning of many changes in America's society; the birth of rock 'n roll, the waning of a strong conservative mentality, and the civil rights movement. These events transformed the lives of Americans in ways no one could have ever imagined.

The 1950s began a new chapter in the history of music. The older generations held onto traditional styles of music like folk, blue grass and jazz. However, teenagers of the 1950s broke out of what their parents believed and looked for other ways to express themselves. They found their freedom in rock 'n roll, which was just starting to gain popularity. Rock 'n roll was created from a combination of gospel music, southern blues, and the addition of a strong back beat (Bradley). Popular artists like Elvis Presley helped bring rock 'n roll to life for young people across the nation. He enthralled his audiences with provocative onstage antics and lyrics. By 1956 Elvis Presley had swept the country with his new sound and found himself at the top of the music charts. "Elvis Presley recorded 90 albums, charted 149 singles, and acted in 31 films." ("Elvis Presley"). Elvis's most popular hits are still played on today's radio stations and are enjoyed by people of all ages. While the love of rock 'n roll reflected the carefree views of America's youth, the threat of communism and a potential nuclear war were a large concern to the older generation.

The 1950s was a time of strong anti-communist beliefs; therefore many people were deeply rooted conservatives. The American people wanted to be seen by their peers as patriotic, and since "religion was seen as an indicator of anti-communism" (Bradley), many people converted to Christianity. This increase in professed faith led to the addition of "one nation under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance. During the 1950s the growing suspicion of people who supported communism caused a general atmosphere of fear. To add fuel to this fire Senator Joseph McCarthy began his accusation campaign in which he charged thousands of innocent people of being communist. The accusations and trials he conducted against these so called "conspirators" ended up ruining and discrediting the reputations of many patriotic people. Even after McCarthy stopped his accusations people were afraid to voice their opinions. They would not protest against the government due to fear of losing their job and being shunned by peers. "The feelings of suspicion that McCarthy caused lasted for years." (Escher 4). While anti-communist feelings were raging across the nation the American people were tackling yet another issue - the issue of equality.

At the beginning of the 1950s segregation was deeply embedded into the America's culture and laws. At the time many schools were segregated between African-Americans and Caucasian students. In addition to schools African-Americans were not allowed to use the same drinking fountains or bathrooms as Caucasians. However segregation