America in the 1950s
1947
Development on Levittown begins. Built by William and Alfred Levitt shortly after WWII. Through the use of prefabricated parts, over 10,000 houses were quickly built which were within the fiscal grasp of many Americans. However, blacks were not allowed to rent or purchase homes until legal action forced Levitt to sell his properties to non-whites in the 1960s (Foner, 739, 743). |
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1950
Senator Joseph McCarthy claims communist infiltration.
On February 9th, 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed to be in possession of a "list" which had on it more than 205 names of certified communists actively involved in the state department. This triggered nationwide panic twofold. Firstly, many feared that communists we're going to influence younger generations and tear apart the fabric of the Nation as a whole. And, secondly, many feared that they would be wrongly accused of communist allegiance. |
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1951
I Love Lucy airs on CBS On October 15, 1951 I Love Lucy became the first scripted television program to be filmed on 35 mm film in front of a studio audience, sparking the rise of TV programs in the American home and the ushering in the Golden Age of Television. |
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1952
Immigration and Nationality Act The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, also known as the McCarran–Walter Act, restricted immigration and citizenship in the U.S. Before this act, a variety of statutes governed immigration law but were not organized within one body of text. |
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1953
The Rosenberg's are executed 2 years after being found guilty, the Rosenberg's are executed for their convicted crimes of espionage. |
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Kinsey publishes Sexual Behavior in the Human Female
- Completes Kinsey reports with Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (1948)
Hugh Hefner publishes first issue of Playboy magazine.
1954
Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka Kansas
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision to end racial segregation in public schools based off the unequal education provided blacks and whites and unconstitutionality. The case was brought before the court by black lawyer Thurgood Marshall who later became the first African-American Supreme Court justice. |
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1955
Emmett Till Brutally Murdered Young black male, Emmett Till, was murdered for whistling at a white woman. The two white men responsible were acquitted by an all white jury, and public outrage helped fuel the African-American civil rights movement. Rosa Parks incites Montgomery Bus Boycott By refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, Rosa Parks not only defended her personal liberty, but catalyzed a series of events pivotal to the Civil Rights Movement. |
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1956
Interstate Highway Act
Eisenhower signs in an act that will allow for the construction of 41,000 miles of the Interstate Highway System over a period of 20 years. Throughout the decade, cars "symbolized the identification of freedom with individual mobility ad private choice" (Foner, 740). |
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1957
Soviets launch "Sputnik"
On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I, the world's first artificial satellite. This single launch ushered in unprecedented scientific and technological developments, marking the beginning of the "Space Age". |
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1958
Formation of NASA
In July 1958, Congress passed legislation establishing NASA as the coordinating body of the U.S. space program. Determined to beat the Soviets in the "space race", billions of dollars were invested into aeronautics. NASA began to conduct space missions within months of its creation, conducting several major programs within its first 20 years. |
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1959
Alaska and Hawaii admitted to the union
The last two states to be officially inducted into the United States did not gain statehood easily. After significant opposition both regionally and in congress, Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959. After being forced to choose between remaining a territory or accepting the Hawaii Admission Act, Hawaiian residents accepted the latter. Autonomy was not an option. |
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