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Category Archives: 1953-1960
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks, also called the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement would forever be remembered by her act of refusing to give up her seat for a white passenger. This act was a strong symbol for modern day civil rights. This event would later cause the Montgomery Bus Boycott and eventually the end of racial segregation on public bus transportations. 
Posted in 1953-1960, June 21 assignment, Midterm Exam Review, Uncategorized
Tagged Civil Rights Movement, Montgomery bus boycott, Rosa Parks
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The Baby Boom (1946-1964)
Young males returning to the United States, Canada, and Australia following tours of duty overseas during World War II began families, which brought about a significant number of new children into the world. This dramatic increase in the number of births from 1946 to 1964 (1947 to 1966 in Canada and 1946-1961 in Australia) is called the Baby Boom.
In the United States, approximately 79 million babies were born during the Baby Boom. Much of this cohort of nineteen years (1946-1964) grew up with Woodstock, the Vietnam War, and John F. Kennedy as president; thus they had major implications on the social and cultural developments during those decades. Baby Boomers are now middle age and entering senior years. In the economy, many are now retiring and leaving the labor force.
(US birth rate (births per 1000 population) <U.S.BirthRate.1909.2003.png>
Posted in 1945-1953, 1953-1960, 1960-1968, June 21 assignment
Tagged 1946, 1964, Baby Boom, Post WWII Events
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Greensboro Sit-In
The Greensboro Sit-Ins were an instrumental action in the African-American Civil Rights Movement, leading to increased national sentiment at a crucial period in American history. It all started with four African-American students who decided to sit at a segregated lunch counter in Greenboro, North Carolina, Woolworth’s Store. This lunch counter only had chairs/stools for whites, while blacks had to stand and eat. They were all aware that they weren’t goin to be served but they sat there anyways demonstrating their courage and determination to fight for their rights. Four days later 300 students were outside Woolworth’s protesting.
Posted in 1953-1960, Cultural History, June 16 assignment, Midterm Exam Review, Political history, Social History
Tagged African-Americans, Civil Rights Movement, Greensboro Sit-Ins
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Dwight Eisenhower
He was the 34th President of the United States from 1953-1961. He kept the containment policy in the Cold War and ended the Korean War in 1953. In 1954, his administration announced “massive retaliation” toward Soviet Union, that United States would fought back if US had recieved any attack from Soviet. He also decided to build Interstate Highway System to protect national security from attacking. His “Eisenhower Doctrine” provided aid and sent troops to the Mideast in order to prevent the spread of communism. Space Race started with Soviet after it launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957.
Posted in 1953-1960, June 21 assignment, Midterm Exam Review
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McCarthyism
The extreme opposition to communism shown by U.S. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and his supporters in the 1940s and 1950s. It’s the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, esp. of pro-Communist activity, in many instances unsupported by proof or based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence. It’s also the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, esp. in order to restrict dissent or political criticism.
The examples include the speeches, investigations, and hearings of Senator McCarthy himself; the Hollywood blacklist, associated with hearings conducted by the House Committee on Un-American Activities; and the various anti-communist activities of the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover. McCarthyism was a widespread social and cultural phenomenon that affected all levels of society and was the source of a great deal of debate and conflict in the U.S. (“Wikipedia”)
The image is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism
Posted in 1945-1953, 1953-1960, June 21 assignment, Midterm Exam Review, Social History
Tagged anti-communist, communism, disloyalty, evidence, McCarthy, McCarthyism
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Montgomery Bus Boycott
This event was a start point of the civil rights movement. In 1955 in Montgomery, Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to give her seat to a white person. Almost all black people in Montgomery stopped using the public transportaitons. This boycott resulted in a crippling financial deficit for the Montgomery public transit system. Finally in December 20, 1956, the United States Supreme Court declared that Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses are unconstitutional.
Posted in 1953-1960, Cultural History, Economic History, June 21 assignment, Midterm Exam Review, Social History
Tagged African American, Boycott, Civil Rights Movement, protest
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Acknowledgment of the “Military Industrial Complex”
This post is somewhat outside and in between the two assignments at the same time.
In 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower makes a speech where he warns against the military industrial complex.
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction…
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Although Eisenhower was a Republican and people rightly protested war in the 1960’s, the governments we as a people have elected in the 50 years since Eisenhower has left office have generally grown the military and embraced war, and to some degree this includes Obama, too.
Regardless of whether or not we think a given war, action or conflict is right or correct, there is the concern and issue that our government and economy needs the industries that serve the military. The fact that people in America benefit financially at various levels from wars they conduct abroad leads to a conflict of interest. (Conflicts of interest can be the appearance of the conflict or a true conflict.)
Jiw Crow Law in the 1950’s
Souza
One of the most prominent pieces of American history is the racism that has divided their country and created many hard battles and controversy. In the 1900s, many segregation laws were created to separate black people from white people in every way possible and to ban rights for anyone to defend them; which went against their rights as Americans. During the Reconstruction after the Civil war, the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were created to protect the rights of blacks and the civil rights act of 1875 freed many black people from slavery. However these laws eventually were disregarded and racial tensions mounted. The government then overturned the civil rights act by allowing laws of racial segregation. The laws of segregation which were created after the Reconstruction were known as ‘Jim Crow Laws’. Black people fought back in large protests, such as walking instead of taking the bus and sitting in at lunch counters, and challenged officials to remove these laws. Many black people were murdered throughout their protests for their rights.
In the Rosa Parks’ 1955 act of civil disobedience, in which she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, was a catalyst in later years of the Civil Rights movement. Her action, and the demonstrations which it stimulated, led to a series of legislative and court decisions that contributed to undermining the Jim Crow system.
This fact led to the Bus Boycott led by Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., which followed Rosa Parks’ action, was, however, not the first of its kind. Numerous boycotts and demonstrations against segregation had occurred throughout the 1930s and 1940s. These early demonstrations achieved positive results and helped spark political activism
Finally, The Civil Rights act of 1964 made it illegal for any states to have laws requiring segregation. However even though these laws had been banished, there would still be racism between blacks and whites for many years up until now even thought we have a black president.
People walking to support the bus boycott.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Although the Montgomery Bus Boycott occurred some time after the Brown Case, Rosa Parks is still recognized as being an individual who publicized resistance to unfair segregation laws. Due to her resistance, a boycott soon developed. Soon after, the law which required segregation on buses was overturned.
I find this to be a significant change between the 1953 and 1960 because it paved the way for many more laws to be overturned while giving hope to the black American people. She helped to support, create, and implement the civil rights movement using resistance tactics. She peacefully decided not to give her seat up for the white men. Rosa Parks brought the meaning of enjoying freedom in all ways to light.
Rosa Parks is responsible for the change in the law that supported segregation on public buses. However, in the interim she lost her job and suffered many other uneasy consequences. Ultimately, she received recognition along with awards and respect. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/C4OTdlXN66Y" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
Posted in 1953-1960, June 15 assignment
Tagged intro to Martin Luther King, laws overturned, peaceful resistance
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Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956
The Federal-Aid Highway Act was the creation of the Interstate system. It would connect each state through main, central roads that were centrally located.
President Eisenhower was quoted as saying, “Together, the united forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name we bear – United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts.” The Interstate system would be an efficient way to intertwine the individual United States into the whole.
This was a very important point of the 50’s. Not only was it the largest public project in American History up to this point, it was an expression of the longing for unity throughout the country. This was also coming at a time when African-American equality protests were on the rise. Everyone desired a sense of alliance and unification, whether it be in their own village or countrywide.
Posted in 1953-1960, Economic History, June 15 assignment
Tagged 1956 american history, eisenhower, federal-aid, highway act, interstate, public project
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