While some might consider the 1950s to represent an era of consensus, when people choose to conform rather than rock the boat, this characterization in not one-hundred percent true. In fact, there was several different groups within the United States that desired and attempted to sink the boat. For instance, an up and rising rock ‘n’ roll musician, Elvis Presley, was becoming a sensational phenomenon for the teenage listeners but was met with anger from the older generations who believed his performances to be “vulgar” and “animalism.” However, Elvis Presley was not the only one who was left out of conformity, African Americans were also left out of this part of the “American dream” of normality, instead faced with poverty rates through the
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Instead of following the traditional methods of performing he added hip swings and swayed from the normal style of music by basing his music off of black rhythm and blues. In fact, it was met with scorn from the older generations who described his methods of performing as vulgary and provocative beyond belief. However, the younger generation of teenagers went crazy over his new sense of style and appearance. The variety in opinions concerning Elvis Presley's music and appearance was so great that it created a generation gap. Along with creating a generation gap, Elvis reached across racial lines in a immensely segregated time period. Soon after Elvis gained popularity, both blacks and whites artists rocked the Pop Charts with the highly popular rock ‘n’ roll songs. Elvis stand against conformity not only rocked the music industry, but changed it forever. Although, the music style was changing throughout the 1950s the African Americans during this time period were experience quite the opposite …show more content…
Instead of being allowed to go as they please in regards to their education, they were forced to stay within schools that only had other African Americans within it. Instead of being able to speak out about the discrimination that they were facing head on, they were stripped of their political voice. Instead of moving their economic and social placement forward, they were held back by racial prejudices that dated back for decades. The feeling of exclusion became so intense for the African Americans that in 1952 Ralph Ellison published the novel Invisible Man, which explained the American indifference and exclusion of those whose skin was a different color. Even though there was always a large group of African Americans that spoke out against the inequality and injustice their people were forced to endure, it was not until the 1950s that the battle against racism and segregation began. While the fight to break segregation began in the first couple of years in 1950s, it was not until 1954 when the Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka verdict came forth that times began to
Instead of following the traditional methods of performing he added hip swings and swayed from the normal style of music by basing his music off of black rhythm and blues. In fact, it was met with scorn from the older generations who described his methods of performing as vulgary and provocative beyond belief. However, the younger generation of teenagers went crazy over his new sense of style and appearance. The variety in opinions concerning Elvis Presley's music and appearance was so great that it created a generation gap. Along with creating a generation gap, Elvis reached across racial lines in a immensely segregated time period. Soon after Elvis gained popularity, both blacks and whites artists rocked the Pop Charts with the highly popular rock ‘n’ roll songs. Elvis stand against conformity not only rocked the music industry, but changed it forever. Although, the music style was changing throughout the 1950s the African Americans during this time period were experience quite the opposite …show more content…
Instead of being allowed to go as they please in regards to their education, they were forced to stay within schools that only had other African Americans within it. Instead of being able to speak out about the discrimination that they were facing head on, they were stripped of their political voice. Instead of moving their economic and social placement forward, they were held back by racial prejudices that dated back for decades. The feeling of exclusion became so intense for the African Americans that in 1952 Ralph Ellison published the novel Invisible Man, which explained the American indifference and exclusion of those whose skin was a different color. Even though there was always a large group of African Americans that spoke out against the inequality and injustice their people were forced to endure, it was not until the 1950s that the battle against racism and segregation began. While the fight to break segregation began in the first couple of years in 1950s, it was not until 1954 when the Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka verdict came forth that times began to