Behind The Picket Fences:
THE DECADES PROJECT
Created by Ashley N, Elizabeth G and Lauren B
Spring 1999
http://intranet.dalton.org/ms/8th/students/decades99/Muffins1950/Pages/sources.html
SOCIAL CHANGES
Before the 1950 s, there had been nearly 20 years of economic stagnation, thanks to the Depression and
WWII. Lifestyles had been circumscribed and social changes were made in response to the difficult
conditions of the past years. When the war ended, and the
veterans returned, America was finally ready to enjoy life.
When all these soldiers returned home to their sweethearts
and started families, there was a huge housing crisis because no
new houses had been built in 20 years or so. The economy was
on an upswing and the job market was booming, but there was
no where to live. In the cities, the apartment situation was
lacking, so people began pushing out to the edges of the cities,
forming communities called suburbs. Thanks to the G.I. Bill,
veterans could get cheap mortgages. The suburbs appealed to
nearly all types of families, catering to everyone through the
lower-middle class to the upper class. In fact, by 1960, there
were over 10 million new homeowners. This was due, in part, to
the fact that there were houses for everybody, from mansions in
Greenwich, CT going at $62,000 and then little boxes for $6,000
in Daly City, CA (Edey 156).
The first suburban pioneer was William Levitt who built the first
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towns. He constructed Levittown, on Long Island, which used the idea of mass production techniques in
homebuilding. Since he was building hundreds of nearly the same house, it cost less and was much, much,
faster. Before WWII, a builder might construct 2 or 3 houses a year, but by the 1950 s, William Levitt, with
his production line mentality, was finishing off 36 houses a day. This rapid rate of production and assembly
was one reason why suburbs spread as quickly as they did. In 1950 alone, for example, there were 1.396
million brand new houses (Edey 156). Over the course of the decade, the number of homeowners increased
from 23. 6 million to 32.8 million (Edey 160).
Living in the suburbs was attractive to many people for many reasons. You got out of the city, but you
were still in close range of the job opportunities, while escaping the crowds. You got an actual house
(synonymous with home for many people), a yard, and real community sense. The suburbs created a
social dynamic unto itself. In the beginning, there was no community. Each family had been transported to
this little town individually, and there was a desire for a sense of community. The families created branches
of nation institutions like Little League, the Girl Scouts, the PTA, and so on. On the party circuit, there were
backyard neighborly barbecues, and cocktail parties too. In fact, hotdog production rose from 750 million
lbs in 1950 to 1050 million lbs by 1960 (Edey 163). Cocktail parties were also popular, and though they were
often derided, to be invited was a sign of social acceptance, the main motivating factor for people living in the
suburbs. This coincided with the idea that one who lived in the suburbs had climbed out of the city, and
had risen above it. While the other benefits of the suburbs were freely discussed, this social climbing was not
openly admitted. Husbands, however, might hope for powerful neighbors and wives sought to be more
sophisticated than ever before.
The development of suburbia also benefited another industry: the automobile business. Suburban houses
were far from jobs, schools, businesses, and so on. The trains couldn t be relied upon fully-in 1955, 40% of
all trains were from New York, New Haven, and Hartford were at least five minutes late (Edey 158). People
needed a way to get from one place to another reliably, and cars because the transportation mode of choice.
With the need for cars on the rise, General Motors and other car companies produced roughly 8 million new
cars per year during the 1950 s. With the car so popular, it became a status symbol. Shapes and styles
changed regularly, and the companies and advertisers updated the trends constantly, encouraging people to
buy new cars in order to look good. As the popularity of suburbs rose, business owners realized that these
thriving communities were. Stores and businesses began moving close to where people were living, and
found that a location right off a highway made them very accessible. Stores would group together with a
huge parking lot, and these became known as shopping centers. The first enclosed shopping center, a mall,
was actually built in 1957 (see Economics).
Within these new houses, the American family structure developed and evolved from the pre-war years.
Known as the nuclear family (a reference to the current scientific studies, see Science and Technology),
these families were insular and mobile, but gender-specific roles were a large part of the 950 s (see Gender
Issues).
In the post-war years, with families settling down and making lives for themselves, there was a population
explosion. In 1950, there were 24.3 million children between the ages of 5 and 14, and by 1960, there were
35.5 million (Edey 167). The dramatic increase, commonly known as the baby boom, had ramifications
throughout country, some good, some bad. Family life in the 1950 s was focused on the children, and giving
them the best possibilities. Schools had to be built at an enormous rate, and parents were expected to give
their children any opportunity they could. Encyclopedia sales, for example, rose to approximately $300
million a year. These baby boom children were a major social force when they were young, and continued to
be as they aged, leading the 1960 s and now dominating our county s politics and business.
On the older end of the spectrum, there were the teenagers. By early 1956, there were 13 million
teenagers in the country (Halberstam 473). These teens were the new generation, breaking away from their
parents and defining itself in new ways (see Music). The teenagers of the 1950 s were more self sufficient
then their parents had been-they did not remember the Depression or WWII, and had no inclination to save
money. Before, any money made by children went towards long-term goals, like a college fund or a bike.
Now, as this new middle class emerged in America, it created a whole new group of consumers: the young.
The teens had an average weekly income of $10.55, about the same as a whole family s disposable
income 15 years before (Halberstam 473). Their purchases leaned towards the music-related industry,
anything from records to radios (see Music). These teenagers affected the nation as well?they were the
beginning of the youth culture, the first young people to really have an impact on the nation as a whole.
One of the major social changes of the 1950 s was the coming of age of television and its effect on
people s leisure habits and family life. While the first regular commercial broadcast had been in 1939,
television broadcasting had been suspended during the war and did not take off until the 1950 s. At first,
television was only available on the East Coast between Boston and Washington, D.C., but by 1951
television could be viewed throughout the country. Before the war, there had only been approximately
10,000 sets throughout the country, but buy 1960, there were more than 60 million. Americans were instantly
attracted, and fell in love with television and its wide range of offerings. There was everything from light
sitcoms such as I Love Lucy to things like game shows, sporting events, and news broadcasts.
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Television had three major effects: on the family, on the entertainment
industry, and on the nation s politics. Television, in essence, changed the
structure of the American family. Instead of gathering around to discuss the
day s events, the family would huddle around their television set, tuned to such
shows as Gunsmoke or The Texaco Star Theater . By 1959, the typical
American family was watching six hours of television a day, seven days a week
(Edey 250). Television united the family and shattered it at the same time. No
longer did they meet and talk, they watched television. On the other hand,
television gave them a common interest, binding them together.
As for the entertainment industry, television had a major effect on the movie
world. Families would now stay in at night, instead of going to the movies. They
had more options for less money, right in the comfort of their own home. The
movie industry didn t know how to react to this, so throughout the 1950 s,
television and movies waged war on each other (see Movies).
Along with the family and the entertainment industry, television had an impact on politics. The first nationwide broadcast was of President Truman opening the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco
in 1951. Television allowed the public to be a part of the political structure, and to become more involved and
aware of what was happening in their country. Television forever changed the relationship of the nation with
it s politicians. The people now felt an immediacy with their president and other politicians. This close
range contact dispelled much of the elitist aura previously surrounding the government s business. Many
of the most important political proceedings of the decade were broadcast on television, including the
McCarthy hearings and Nixon/Kennedy debate, in which many said television gave the charismatic Kennedy
the advantage (see Foreign Affairs/Politics).
Overall, the 1950 s were a decade of transition and new beginnings. It was the time between the end of
World War II and the political and social uprisings of the 1960 s. During this period, the returning war
veterans experienced an era of prosperity and development that changed the entire nation.
Foreign Affairs and Politics in the 1950’s
In the 1950’s political outlooks in America were based mainly on foreign affairs because of the Cold War .
After World War II, the United States was concerned that the Communist government in the Soviet Union
was trying to expand the communist bloc.The Western Bloc was made up of the United States, Britain,
Canada, France, West Germany, Japan, and the Philippines. Their adversary was the Eastern Bloc, made
up of China, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania,
lead by the Soviet Union. Politics and foreign affairs revolved around the Cold War and America’s rise to
world leadership. The Cold War became a heated battle when the UN’s principles were challenged by the
Communists in Korea. Because of the struggle and indecisive outcome of the Korean War, a fear of
communism spread on the home front. When Eisenhower was elected President in 1952, he was looked to
mainly for his foreign policy, because all feared the power of the communists and prayed for the end of the
Korean War. A popular person among the public arouse in 1950 named Senator Joe McCarthy, who
claimed to have a list of communists within America whose mission was to corrupt the democratic system.
While the public feared communists, they also felt safer when they knew that there was something they
could do about it, which gave them a sense of control, paving the road to power for Joe McCarthy.
After World War II, the Soviet Union began to spread communism to other nations, as the Communist
Manifesto dictated. The Communist Manifesto is a mission statement that provides that communism
requires a world revolution and the destruction of capitalism in order to succeed. The United States as well
as the Western Bloc felt that this was a threat to their existence and had to be stopped.There was always
tension between the two blocs, and even the slightest conflict could be misunderstood or miscommunicated,
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leaving America in constant fear of WWIII (Kaufman 73). Truman did his best to prevent communism from
expanding and in 1947 the Truman Doctrine was formed, stating that the United States would come to the
aid of any country trying to resist communist attack (Miller 16). Later, the Truman Doctrine was known as the
Containment Policy, because it was trying to contain communism.
Spreading communism, however, was not the only problem, there was also a fierce competition for power
between the Soviet Union and the United States. The power of nuclear weapons was demonstrated at the
bombing of Hiroshima, making the United States a world power. The Communists raced to equalize atomic
military power with their enemy, and began making nuclear weapons also. No such war was wanted on
either side because of Assured Mutual Destruction. This was a theory which said that if one side actually
dropped an atomic bomb, the other would fire back, and eventually it would destroy the whole world. When
the Soviets had succeeded in detonating their first atomic bomb, the United States hurried to make a more
powerful weapon, known as the hydrogen bomb. While they were ahead in the technological battle, the US
put forth a proposal to stop the testing of nuclear weapons due the effects it had on the environment
(Kaufman 27). The Soviet Union refused because it then gave the US an advantage in the Cold War.
The Korean War resulted partly due to the tension between the Eastern and Western Blocs. In the years
before 1945, Korea was a weak country constantly being pulled back and forth between China and Japan. At
the time of the WWII, Korea was under Japan’s control, but not at it’s own free will. The Japanese thought of
Koreans as inferior people, because they were not full citizens of Japan. They used Korea for its resources
such as iron, and took over their country allowing the Koreans neither the rights of Japanese, nor freedom to
create their own government. The Japanese shut down Korean schools, censored books, and held all
positions of power, and so when Japan was defeated in World War II and abandoned Korea, they had the
independence they had suffered for for so many years, yet were not stable enough to enjoy it (Fincher 34).
The economy was thrown off balance, and they had no form of government. Korea was in desperate need
of reconstruction.
The United States and the Soviet Union each came to Korea’s aid. The country was split in half, as well
as the families that lived there, by the 38th Parallel (see map). The Soviet Union was to aid the Northern
portion of Korea, and the United States to help the South. However, after the war, the USSR began to
pursue communism, which the US saw as a threat to freedom because of the Communist Manifesto.
Because Korea was divided, America felt that there should be an election to see which form of government
the people of Korea wanted, so that it could be reunited again. However, the Soviets refused to allow such
an election to happen in the North (McGowen 22). The US developed South Korea as a democracy, called
the Republic of Korea; and the Soviet Union created the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, which had
a communist government, as well as a much stronger army than the South. Both societies grew separately,
but there was always a sense of tension between the two governments. During the Korean war, the power
went back and forth between north and south Korea, with neither side willing to surrender.
In 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office and pledged to help end the fighting in Korea.
Eisenhower’s campaign was based around his foreign policy, in which he believed that the United States
could live in peace, when the world outside was facing so many problems. It was the United States’ duty to
intervene, and in his campaign speeches he blamed previous president Truman for how he dealt with the
troubles that the US was now facing. Another reason Eisenhower suited the job was because of his thirty
years of military experience. He was a master strategist, who the public believed could block Communism
altogether. While in office, Eisenhower stressed the importance of cooperation with the Allies, and he wanted
to put money into nuclear weapons instead of ground troops (Richardson 46). However, he had no intention
of using the nuclear weapons and rejected many requests from his advisors, but the nuclear weapons were
a device to intimidate the Communist Bloc. The nuclear energy should not be put to waste, so Eisenhower
proposed a program called Atoms For Peace, which would put the technological advances toward peaceful
and productive use. From this program the International Atomic Energy Agency was created. President
Eisenhower also gained a lot of respect for how he handled the crisis in the Suez. The Egyptian president
had taken away power of the Suez Canal, a major source of access to oil, from France and Britain. In an
effort to regain the canal, Israel, France, and Britain made an air and land attack, without consulting or
notifying the UN. When Eisenhower heard this, he suspended loans to Britain because of what he
considered to be betrayal (Richarson 17). This gave the American people great confidence in Eisenhower
before he ran for his second term, which he won by a landslide. Eisenhower won both his first and second
presidential terms based on his solid foreign policy.
By the end of the war, Korea wound up in the exact same situation it had been in before, two divided
nations. 54,246 American soldiers died in Korea, and it changed nothing (McGowen 12). However, if the war
were never fought, then it is possible that the domino effect of communism might have taken hold, and life,
not only in Korea, but all over the world would have been very different. Although the short term effects of
life were small, in the long run, the US government believed Korea was a war
worth fighting.
The Korean War also had a number of effects on the world. Politically, the
United States had rearmed and become a world power. The Korean “War” also
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gave the president more power. Congress had the power to declare and wage wars, however this was only
a “police action” and so Truman made all the decisions. Even though he called on Congress for help, he
was playing the role that “the Constitution said belonged to Congress” (Fincher 34) At home, the Korean
War increased the fear of communism, leading to McCarthyism. Joe McCarthy announced that he had a list
of communist spies within the State Department. Although he never actually showed the list to anyone, he
was using the people’s fear of communism to become a powerful man (Knowledge Adventure). He began a
series of “witch hunts”, where he tracked people down and then they were forced to testify before
international security. They then faced a double-edged sword, because if they said no, they were lying, and
if they acknowledged the accusation, they were communists. McCarthy’s witch hunts ruined many careers
because blacklisting began. Blacklisting meant that any person who opposed McCarthy’s persecution, was
considered to sympathize communists, and was unwanted for a job, and any company who hired them could
be searched by McCarthy’s committee (Knowledge Adventure). Many people, especially people in the movie
business, who were constantly in the public eye, had to give up their careers because of Joe McCarthy. In
1954 McCarthy began to target members of the US Army. Eisenhower had reached his crossing point, and
put a stop to McCarthy’s investigations. In fact, they began to investigate McCarthy, who lost most of his
power and public attention almost as quickly as he had gained it.
The Korean War was also known as the “Forgotten War” because people allowed it to be forgotten. At
home, the war was ignored, and people refused to accept the fact that the world was not what it seemed. Far
away from America people were dying, for a country who didn’t seem to care. Instead they pretended that
America was ideal, as they believed it should have been after winning WWII. Ignorance is what
differentiated Korea from Vietnam. Although the nation wasn’t completely behind the war in Vietnam, it
caused people to question authority and their own values, and it affected every person’s life; something that
never happened during the Korean war.
Racial Issues
Racism was a signtficant part of the lives of African Americans in the 1950s, and many crucial advances
were made during this this decade. There were two people in particular who helped initiate the Civil Rights
Movement; they were Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
Rosa Parks played an important part in the fight for equality. She was a simple seamstress on her way
home from work on December 1, 1955 when one little move she made would bring her fame and change her
life forever. That day she was sitting in one of the seats on a bus reserved for African Americans. A white
person came on, and there were no empty seats left, so the bus driver ordered her to stand. According to the
law in Montgomery, Alabama she was supposed to give up her seat, but, being extremely tired and carrying
many bags she refused to stand. She was arrested, but news of her courage soon spread, and she began to
get recognition for her deed from such organizations as the NAACP (National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People).
Although her one small protest was not great in itself, it brought awareness to the people who had put up
with racial prejudice all their lives, and it showed them that their actions could make a difference.
Martin Luther King Jr., another important figure in the Civil Rights Movement, moved to Montgomery,
Alabama one year before the Rosa Parks event. When he arrived, he was a young minister not yet active in
the Civil Rights Movement but in December of 1955, he got involved. On December 5, he organized a
boycott against the public buses in response to Rosa Parks's arrest. It was supposed to be a one day
boycott protesting segregation on public buses, but it ended up lasting almost a year. 90% of the African
American population in Montgomory participated, which was part of the reason for its success. During the
boycott, they walked, drove, or car pooled to comute to and from work instead of using the buses. Some
people even had to walk up to 12 miles a day in order to keep up the boycott, but they still did it. The protest
was finally ended on November 13, 1956 when the Supreme Court ruled bus segregation illegal in all of
Alabalma. This was only one of the many feats African Americans would accomplish with the help of Martin
Luther King Jr. He used his religious beliefs and knowledge, and his preaching abilities, to help fight for
equality, but peacefully. He believed that peaceful protests were the only way to go, and that violence would
accomplish nothing. This was a new concept to many, and proved itself to be very effective, as seen in the
case of the bus boycott and many others to come.
Some of the advances of Affican Americans can be seen through the different Supreme Court rulings
made against discrimination. Before they made bus segregation illegal, they passed a law against school
segregation in May, 1954. Although this may seem like a huge breakthrough, the law was not enforced
properly, most schools remained segregated for a long time afterward. One example of this was at Central
High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The governor got National Guard troops to keep Aftican Americans
from entering the school. In response, federal troops had to be sent down to enforce integration. The one
immediate reaction to this ruling was the establishment of the White Citizens Council. This was a group of
extremists fighting integration. With the help of Senator James 0. Eastland of Mississippi, the group spread
to four Alabama counties, but then died out. As mentioned before, the Supreme Court also ruled segregated
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buses illegal. This was a big step for the advancement of African Americans, and even more than they had
asked for. When they began the protest, the only things they asked for was an opportunity for African
Americans to be bus drivers, and that they would sit from the back of the bus forward, and whites would sit
from the front back. This way they wouldn't have to stand if there was an open seat (Siegel 58). By
presenting these modest requests, they got the Supreme Court's attention, and they were able to accomplish
much more than they had expected.
The 1950's was the starting point from which equality
stemmed, and in this decade, many advancements were
made which would spur larger events to come. The bus
boycott and Little Rock incident were only the beginning of
what African Americans were willing to withstand in order to
obtain equality. To come would be the thriving of the Civil
Rights Movement, the march on Washington, and many other
events which would eventualty bring equality.
GENDER ISSUES
During the 1950’s, men’s and women’s roles in society were
reverted to the stereotypical notions of what each sex should
be doing. During World War II, women had risen up in the
workplace, taking the jobs of the men who were away at war.
After the war, however, when men returned home, women
experienced a setback in the gains they had made. In the first two years after the war, 2 million women lost
their jobs (Halberstam 589). They returned to their places in the kitchen, while men took over the workforce
again.
Women were expected to be good mothers and wives, returning to the home after working during the war.
Many families were able to support themselves on one income, the man’s, and so there was no need for the
women to work (Halberstam 589).The move to suburbia isolated women, taking them away
from most jobs, and placing them amongst other women just like themselves (Halberstam
143). In addition, the new culture of consumerism told women they should be
homemaers. Advertisers and companies recognized that women made many purchasing
decisions for families, and their ads would show a woman gleefully turning on her stove, or
happily loading a dryer (Halberstam 591). The magazine articles and television shows tried
to tell women that they needed these products if they wanted to be truly happy. This
reinforced the notion that a woman’s place was in her home, and that her job was to create
the perfect family life.
There was no outlet to express their feelings for women who were dissatisfied or unhappy
trying to meet this ideal (Halberstam 592). There were no real organized women’s groups that promoted the
working woman. Betty Friedan’s book, The Feminine Mystique, was the first book that airedwomen’s
dissatisfactions with their stereotypical roles was not published until 1963, although it was written during the
late 1950’s. Friedan really did document women’s discontents with their role in society. Asked to do a
reunion article for Smith College (an all women’s institution), she sent out surveys for the graduates to fill out.
When the surveys were returned, Friedan discovered that most women were unhappy with their lives, feeling
isolated from the world their husbands experienced. It wasn’t until the 1960’s, however, that women got to
move beyond their role as a housewife againx
Literature
The Crucible
by Arthur Miller
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Published in 1953, Arthur Miller's The Crucible echoed the fears and emotions of the current time
perfectly. Written about the Salem Witch Trials in Massachussetts during the 1600's, the play tracks John
Proctor's attempt to stand up to the common beliefs of the time. While the rest of the town is caught up in
pursuing the devil's disciples, Proctor tries to open the community's eyes to the truth. A group of supposedly
innocent girls pretend to be afflicted by the spirits of older women in the community. The town's elders,
mostly men, support these girls, prosecuting and hanging the accused women, in fear of becoming the next
victims. Another reason the townsfolk went along with the accusations and trials was because the devil was
a way to explain the misdoings, and a place to put the blame.
During the 1950's, this play was written to show the direct parallel between modern-day America, and the
paranoia and fear breeding in Puritan Salem, Massachussetts. In the 1950's, political figure Joseph
McCarthy accused many prominent Americans of being communists. This rash of accusations set off more,
which in turn set set off a deep, ingrained fear of Communism in America's collective conscience. McCarthy
thrived on this fear, using it to rise to power and his decree remained unquestioned for many years (see
Foreign Affairs/Politics). This quote, taken from the introduction, reflects the message and meaning behind
the play. "The question is not the reality of witches but the power of authority to define the nature of the real,
and the desire, on the part of indviduals and the state, to identify those who purging will relieve a sense of
anxiety and guilt."
Through The Crucible, Arthur Miller was able to communicate his aggravation with McCarthyism and the
prevailing beliefs of the time. The purpose, in essence, of writing this play was Miller's way of showing that
defying authority sometimes was the right thing to do. Miller shows that the self-destructive abuse of power is
frightening on a small scale, and tries to get the reader to imagine the same amount of control on nationwide
level?something that wasn't too far from the truth during 1950's. Miller's commentary on America's current
political standing rebelled against authority, yet not against society. He subtly criticized the government and,
on a smaller level, the public for allowing this to happen. The play was a call to the public, asking them to
speak out against this and telling them that the power was in them. While his message was rebellious,
Miller's writing style was less so, putting him somewhat in the middle.
Miller was famous before writing The Crucible, due to the success of his prior play, Death of a Salesman.
His fame was somewhat of an insurance, because he knew that his feelings would have more weight with
the public and would be taken seriously. Miller must have known that his opinions would be held at a higher
value with adults and other authority figures, even the ones he was speaking out against. This did, however,
put him at risk for the very thing he was writing about-being targeted as a communist. Miller was willing to
take the chance, it seems, to get his feelings out and this play was worth the risk.
Movies
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During the 1950’s, the movie industry suffered several blows.
Throughout the 1950’s, theater audiences dropped radically. Before
World War II, Hollywood had produced an average of 550 films per year,
but feel to only about 250 a year during the 1950’s. Year by year, the
numbers fell. In 1950, 63 million people went to the movies, but by 1952,
that number was down to 58 million (Layman 304). There were several
reasons for the decline, and Hollywood tried various methods to bring
back its audience.
The main reason for the decline in the movie-viewing audience was the
steadily increasing popularity of television. Suddenly, people were no
longer had to go out to be entertained, but could sit back in the comfort of their own home, with a variety of
options from which to choose (see Social Changes). Moviemakers, in order to lure the people away from the
small black-and-white television, began producing many color films, and trying new techniques cinematic
techniques such as Cinescope, Technicolor, and 3-D films.
Another problem for the movie industry were the studios themselves. They were reeling from the effect of
the 1948 Antitrust Act, in which the Supreme Court told the studios they had to sell their holdings in movie
theaters, which meant that the studios couldn’t dictate what movies played in which theaters (Layman 304).
In addition to the loss of theaters, another blow to the studios was the fact that more and more films were
produced independently. By 1958, independent producers supplied 65% of the country’s movies (Karney
394). Independent movies were able to tackle more daring topics that mainstream movies wouldn’t. The
studio movies also caught onto this trend, with such films as Vertigo, Baby Doll,A Streetcar Named Desire,
Rebel Without A Cause, and The Moon Is Blue. The studios realized that by covering these more adult
themes, they could draw in an audience that television didn’t target.
Another result of the instability in the movie industry was a move from Hollywood to foreign countries, both
for production and plot. It was much cheaper, and held a sense of exotic mystery with which television
couldn’t compete. Two such movies are The African Queen and Roman Holiday, and there were numerous
others that took advantage of the benefits overseas locations had to offer.
One of the other challenges the movie industry faced during the 1950’s was far from the production lots.
Joseph McCarthy, a senator, began to investigate communism in the United States. He targeted many
figures in the entertainment business, causing disruption and fear. Many people involved in making movies
were scared off by McCarthy, and others’ had their careers and lives ruined by vicious slander (see Foreign
Affairs and Politics). The fear of being targeted by McCarthy stifled much creativity, as those who hadn’t
been destroyed tried to stick to the basic genres and not call attention to themselves.
All in all, the 1950’s were a turbulent time for movies. While some of the best American films came out of
this decade, they lost their mass audience to television, the studio system began to crumble, and Hollywood
was under attack politically as well.
!
Music of a Decade- Rock and Roll Rebellion!
The music of the past generation had been polished and bland, as was the mood of the period, but rock and
roll brought about a revolution in music which simultaneously reflected the changes going on in the lives of
the younger generation. The music of the early forties and fifties was slow and sentimental reflecting the
hard times of the war. Artists like Tony Bennett, Eddie Fisher and Peggy Lee were the popular musicians of
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the time, who targeted an older audience. In 1951 the number one record in the country was the Tennessee
Waltz, by Patti Page. Record sales were dropping, however, and television, the new form of entertainment,
was becoming more popular. A major change was needed to get music back on its feet, rock and roll.
Rock and Roll was a new form of music that combined country-western, pop, jazz, and rhythm and
blues, therefore appealing to audiences from all cultures. This new beat was named after an old blues song
which sang, My baby rocks me with a steady roll. Rock and Roll almost instantly became a huge hit among
teenagers. As the singers became teenage idols, the music industry began to target the younger more
influential generation. In 1955 record sales skyrocketed from the arrival of rock and roll. Dick Clark, a
television DJ, made a large profit from rock and roll because of his television show American Bandstand
where singers came and performed. Anything that was on his show was guaranteed to sell well. Outraged
adults viewed rock and roll singers as rebels without a cause.They were seen as talentless kids with ugly
haircuts who yelled out meaningless lyrics. To the teenagers of America rock and roll was a revolution,
breaking away from the conformity of the world of their parents was exactly what they wanted, and this was
the way to do it.
Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, and Chuck Berry were the creators of the Rock and Roll
legend. They began the music that changed mood of the world. Elvis Presley was known
as the king of Rock and Roll, and so he was. The 21 year old truck driver from Memphis,
Tennessee began at a small concert down in Florida where he immediately attracted a
huge fan. His music involved not only the words themselves, but the feeling that went
into them. He was sexually appealing, unlike any singers before him, and he showed
open emotion. Elvis Presley had several great hits, some of which were Love Me Tender,
Heartbreak Hotel, and Hound Dog. (sound clips) On the Ed Sullivan show, Elvis was
only allowed to be filmed above the waist because of his hip movements which were
labeled unsuitable for the family audience, hence his nickname, The Pelvis.
Bill Haley was another hit of the rock and roll era. He began his
career as a western singer, but he dropped it and started a rock and
roll band in the early fifties after hearing the song Rocket 88. This
convinced Haley that music with energy would be really popular
because people could dance and clap to it and it was a change from
their parents music. This change from dull to energetic proved to be a
great idea, and Bill Haley and His Comets wrote a song called "Crazy
Man Crazy" in 1953 which was the first rock and roll song ever to make
the Billboard charts. The band then performed the song "Rock Around
the Clock". The first time it was released in 1954, it wasn't a big hit, but
when it was re-released in 1955 after they had performed Joe Turners
Shake, Rattle, and Roll it became the number one song all around the world. It was also used as the theme
song for a movie called The Blackboard Jungle about juvenile delinquents, reflecting on how rock and roll
was seen.
Chuck Berry was another founder of rock and roll, but because of the color of his skin, he could never be
proud of his accomplishments. In 1952 Berry joined a band, and in 1953 he recorded "Maybellene" which
made it into the top five on the R & B charts. In the copyright, however, Berry used Alan Freed's name to
ensure that his music would sell among both whites and blacks. Other musicians aspired to Berry, and their
music showed it. During the 50s, Chuck Berry had other hits such as "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Sweet
Little Sixteen." The later musician John Lennon once stated, "If you tried to give rock and roll another name,
you might call it Chuck Berry'" (Pegg).
Rock and roll had a powerful effect on society, especially the younger generation, because teenagers
wanted to rebel so that they could break away from conformity. The children had never seen America in
times of depression and need, and it was the first time that America was economically stable since the
twenties. Previous generations were always working as children, barely living off the little bit of money they
had, and so when such prosperous times arouse, they treasured it because they didn't want to imbalance
perfection. Rock and roll became so important because young people wanted ...anything to puncture the
sweet suburban mood of their parents which to many adolescents hangs in the air like a family lie" (Century).
The simplicity surrounding them caused teenagers to question authority and their lives, and it could only be
the younger ones to realize that life wasn't perfect because they hadn't planned out their lives and they didn't
yet know who they aspired to be. Since teenagers were still impressionable, they hadn't had the same
outlook on life that everyone else did, that is what made the Fifties a turning point.
Rock Around The Clock
9
Fashion became distinct during the 1950s as a result of World War II. During the war, the U.S. did not
have contact with Paris, which was the fashion capitol of the world then, and had great influence on
American clothes. Therefore, the United States was forced to come up with its own styles. Also, with the end
of the war, some trends were adapted from war clothing. For example, many jackets, both leather and
sports, were made in the style of fighter pilot's jackets. Also, pedal pushers, also known as capri or pirate
pants, became popular just like in Italy. Even Bermuda shorts and Hawaii shirts appeared, partly because
Hawaii had recently become a state.
Along with foreign influences, the endnig of WWII allowed new materials to be used in clothing. For
example, nylon, which was not used during wartime because of scarcity, now became extremely popular and
could be found everywhere. These new materials were easier to wash, lightweight yet warm, quick drying,
waterproof, and shrank minimally. They were used as the padding and main fabric of skiing and sailing
jackets, and also in ski pants. Since clothes became easy to wash, pastels and light colors appeared
because there was no longer the fear of getting clothes dirty.
The look for women changed considerably also in the '50s. During the war many women had replaced
men in the work force, but when the soldiers returned, they were expected to go back to the dutiful role of
housewife. Not only were they supposed to attend to household chores, but they had to look stylish, fragile,
and feminine doing it. The ideal wife was portrayed in the kitchen with a full skirt, frilly apron, nipped waist,
and slim bodice all on top of tall stiletto heals. The figure-8 or hourglass shape of women was accented, and
the small neck and waist in contrast to their larger shoulders and hips helped create it. Even the working
women though were dressed with the same femininity. They wore trim, close-fitting skirt suits which accented
their curves. They were accompanied by dainty veiled hats with feathers, gloves, and small purses. Pencil
skirts also developed and were worn as part of a suit. These were slim, no-flare skirts reaching to the knee or
mid calf.
The '50s woman's face also had a distinct look. It was a peaches-and-cream complexion with bright red
lipstick, liquid eyeliner, and penciled evebrows. Woman often wore hats, white collars, pearls, and pearl-stud
earings; pierced ears were considered unfashionable.
Many different kinds of shoes became popular to accompany the new clothes. In the late '50s, winkle
pickers developed. These were stilettos, having a pointy toe and tall thin heal. Another popular shoe for
women, and also for girls was the ballerina slipper. As ballet and leotards became big, so did wearing
reinforced ballerina slippers. Another shoe to become common was the saddle shoe, or saddle Oxford. This
was a white shoe with a black saddle-shaped piece of leather on the front. It was a low, broad-healed sports
shoe worn by men, women, and children alike.
Young people's fashion had developed also. They were expected to dress somewhat similarly to adults
and few stores specialized in clothes specifically for kids. For leisure wear, girls wore pedal pushers and
jeans, which became popular after Marilyn Monroe and Princess Alexandra were photographed wearing
them. They also wore full skirts-with stiff petticoats or pencil skirts and sweaters. Some popular fads were
wearing a man's shirt outside jeans, sweater sets, collared blouses, and full skirts. These skirts were usually
made of a wool-felt fabric with a bright motifs, such as a poodle on a leash. A tight, tucked in blouse, wide
waist-chiching belt, and flat-heeled shoes usually accompanied these. For boys, a shirt, tie, and pressed
trousers were common.
There were some kids during the '50s, known as beatniks, that dressed very differently though. They
were poets, musicians, and other artists who provided a strong contrast to the bland mainstream culture.
They wore black turtle- and polo-neck sweaters or crumpled T-shirts with unpressed trousers, khakis, or
jeans. Girls sometimes wore "sloppy Joe" sweaters, which were loose and oversized, in comparison to the
tight blouses and sweater-sets worn by others. They wore these with a longs skirt or black tights. Almost
everything they wore was black.
Another group who dressed alternatively and was against the mainstream was known as the greasers.
They wore jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets in the same style as pilot jackets worn in the war.
Part of what the beatniks and greasers were rebelling against was something known as "the Man in the
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Gray Flannel Suit". There was a movie with this title made in the fifties, but it was
not only that. This was a generalization about how men dressed. This title
personified the clean-cut, somber, mature, anonymous, white collar businessman.
He wore a white shirt, a silk tie, penny loafers, and carried a briefcase. If you
walked through the streets of almost any city, you were sure to see many men who
perfectly fit this description. "He" was everywhere, and fit in well with the other
cookiecutter images of the decade, such as Suburbia and chains like McDonalds.
The look was developed by East Coast Ivy League college students who shopped
at stores such as Brooks Brothers. As the decade progressed, new aspects were
added to the image; in 1951 and'52, slubs appeared. These were specks of bright
color woven randomly into the fabric of a suit. Another example is in 1955 and'56,
when synthetic suits and shirts became popular because they were so easy to wash and also very cool for
hot days.
Fashion in the 1950's represented the nation during that decade. The wealth and gender issues were
revealed through it, along with the rebellious attitudes. There were many stamped images, such as "the Man
in the Gray Flannel Suit" and the doll-like housewife, which the decade would later be associated and
labeled with.
WWII/foreign influence:
1. fighter pilot's jackets
2. pedal pushers/ capri pants (from Italy)
3. Bermuda shorts + Hawaii shirts (Hawaii joined the U.S. in 1959)
4. nylon (rationed during war)
women
wore: supposed to attend to household chores, but look stylish, fragile, and feminine doing it. The
ideal wife was portrayed in the kitchen with a full skirt, frilly apron, nipped waist, and slim bodice all on top of
tall stiletto heals. The figure-8 or hourglass shape of women was accentuated, and the small neck and waist
in contrast to their larger shoulders and hips helped create it. Even the working women though were dressed
with the same femininity. They wore trim, close-fitting skirt suits which accented their curves. They were
accompanied by dainty veiled hats with feathers, gloves, and small purses
face: peaches-and-cream complexion with bright red lipstick, liquid eyeliner, and penciled evebrows.
Woman often wore hats, white collars, pearls, and pearl-stud earings; pierced ears were considered
unfashionable
girls: similar to women, leisure wear, girls wore pedal pushers and jeans, which became popular after
Marilyn Monroe and Princess Alexandra were photographed wearing them. They also wore full skirts-with
stiff petticoats or pencil skirts and sweaters. Some popular fads were wearing a man's shirt outside jeans,
sweater sets, collared blouses, and full skirts. These skirts were usually made of a wool-felt fabric with a
bright motifs, such as a poodle on a leash. A tight, tucked in blouse, wide waist-chiching belt, and flat-heeled
shoes usually accompanied these
boys: a shirt, tie, and pressed trousers
beatnicks/greasers:
1. black turtle- and polo-neck sweaters or crumpled T-shirts with unpressed trousers, khakis, or
jeans. Girls sometimes wore "sloppy Joe" sweaters, which were loose and oversized, in comparison to the
tight blouses and sweater-sets worn by others. They wore these with a longs skirt or black tights
2. jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets in the same style as pilot jackets
"The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit": movie with this title made in the fifties, personified the clean-cut,
somber, mature, anonymous, white collar businessman, wore a white shirt, a silk tie, penny loafers, and
carried a briefcase, developed by East Coast Ivy League college students
shoes: ballet slippers, saddle Oxford, winkle pickers
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www.abcgiant.com
www.cooltext.com
www.iband.com
www.fiftiesweb.com
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