FYS The Fifties

When one thinks of the culture of the 1950s, the first thoughts that usually come to mind entail the television, music, or clothes. Movies, however, at the beginning of the decade had become a dying breed that faced a drop in appeal. What could cause such a popular form of media that had previously been viewed as so alluring for years? The answer can be found in the very invention of the television, with which the public could easily find entertainment without leaving the comforts of their home and for no money. Film companies slowly began to lose money as their product was suddenly become less and less popular, and they needed to find a way to bring movies back into the eye of the public. Continue reading →

The 1950’s was the beginning of the large and countrywide movement that was the civil rights movement. At the tail end of the decade, more and more violence towards black people was occurring, leading to protests and changes. One small little girl that contributed to the movement was Ruby Bridges. Ruby Bridges, born on September 8, 1954, was the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school, William Frantz Elementary, in the south. She and her family lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. When she was six years old, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) asked her parents if they would be interested in volunteering Ruby to participate in the integration that was occurring in the New Orleans school system. Ruby was one of six black children that passed the test that determined whether or not the back children be able to go to the white school. Ruby was assigned William Frantz Elementary School while the other selected African American children went elsewhere. Ruby’s father was reluctant in letting her go to an all white school, but her mother strongly believed that this was a step needed to give her daughter a better education and to take a step forward for all African American children. Continue reading →

Proms, or “receptions” as some schools call them, are formal dances sponsored by the school. They usually take place in May or June and are generally not a cheap endeavor. The boys have to rent tuxedos, the girls get their nails, hair and makeup done and buy long elegant dresses that they will probably wear once and then hang up in their closet for a few years before they donate it to Salvation Army. Flowers are bought, limos are rented and couples head off to whichever venue they have just paid $100 dollars for tickets to.
Couples arrive at the prom and take formal pictures, admire each other’s dresses and sit down to a nice dinner. Once plates are cleared, the youngsters migrate to the dance floor, where they do anything but dance. The popular form of dancing known as “grinding” has become the go-to dance style for most teenagers of today, and frankly it’s a little discomforting! Continue reading →

Growing up, I always said that I wish I had been born during a different time period when the world was a simpler place. The fifties seemed to be the ideal decade from my point of view, and I looked upon fifties culture with fascination and idolization. I truly believed that people were so much happier back then, and I thought that modern day America could revert to many of the practices of the fifties to solve today’s problems. It was not until I began this course that I realized I had a very warped view of life in the fifties. While many could argue that some things were better back then, this decade contained an immense amount of difficulties and restrictions. The fifties were not just a time for drive in movies and poodle skirts. Continue reading →

Fashion During the 1950’s

Thus far, during the course of our 1950’s seminar was have discussed many different aspects of the era but we have only briefly talked about the topic of 1950’s fashion. The fashion of the time is, in my eyes, quite interesting. It is fascinating to see and read about what people wore back then and how much fashion has changed to where it is today. When many people think about the era of the 1950’s, they imagine cookie-cutter houses and everyone dressing exactly the same, or at least that’s what I pictured before I did my research. Continue reading →

During the 1950’s many things had changed but perhaps the thing that changed everything the most was the television. It brought a big change to how people lived their lives back then. More and more people were beginning to use television as a way to keep connected to the culture of the fifties.

Not only were people using television to watch the news but they were also using it to see what was popular at that time. People, young adults especially, would watch television shows that would showcase the latest talent. Now they could watch an artist from their own home if it was not possible to go to see them in person. Also many television sitcoms were gaining popularity. Continue reading →

The first time I watched Lilo and Stitch I didn’t realize how big of a role Elvis Presley played. Lilo was trying to teach her alien, pet Stitch how to behave like Elvis Presley, referring to him as a “model citizen.” He could dance, sing, play guitar, and was a teenage heartthrob. But that wasn’t it for Elvis. He had an incredible work ethic and was easy to work with. He was rebellious, but respectful and polite. He acquired incredible fame and changed the style of music. Elvis Presley was unlike other rock stars that followed him. Continue reading →

It is quite exciting that we are now talking about the music, the television, and the culture of the ‘50s. As much as the country was struggling with being in and out of wars, and having worries about foreign policy, we had an iconic pop culture forming. I believe this is what people are referencing when they reminisce about how wonderful the ‘50s were. Continue reading →

Segregation is a topic that is usually thought of in visual terms. When I think of segregation, I imagine a United States history textbook with photographs showing the barriers between black and white bathrooms. Or, I flashback to a documentary on the Little Rock Nine. Yet, until reading chapter 9 of Dunar’s book and analyzing Halberstam’s article, I had not thought about the segregation of music that existed within the 1950s. Continue reading →

So far in our 1950’s class we have learned mainly about political issues concerning and influencing the time period. So for my blog post, I have decided to lighten the mood a bit. In honor of baseball’s upcoming post-season, I have chosen to post about a few historical figures in America’s favorite pastime. Continue reading →