How Did Elvis Presley's Impact On American Culture

Shortly after rock & roll was born, the fans chose a king. His name was Elvis Presley. The mere message of his name conjures up thousands of images. His explosive impact on music, dance and American culture changed the course of entertainment history. When he sang, he sang with both his heart and his body. He moved as if he were being jolted by electricity, scandalizing parents and leaving young fans wanting more. In the 1950’s Presley was obtaining a popularity unparalleled in theatrical history. To the press his every move was a fresh and more controversial story to tell than the last. Such controversy was originally triggered by his nationally televised appearance on The Milton Berle Show on June 5, 1956. At the time, the suggestive nature

At this time America was in the era of the baby boomer generation that followed WII. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had just signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, and the construction of an Interstate Highway System was underway. A Hollywood actress by the name of Marilyn Monroe had just been engaged, and Rocky Marciano, a heavyweight-boxing champion, had recently retired with an undefeated record. By this time, Presley was well on his way to becoming a nationally recognized entertainment sensation. It was on June 5, 1956 where his megastardom would ultimately ensue. This was the day that Presley would go on to debut his new song “Hound Dog” on the nationally televised Milton Berle Show. His never before seen hip movements instantaneously caused a national kerfuffle that the press proceeded to pounce on like a lion a lion stalking a

Whenever Presley met with the press, we would be asked about the morality of rock & roll, and that’s exactly what happened following his “Hound Dog” debut. The cover of the August 7, 1956 edition of Look magazine featured a tagline between the title and the primary image of Prince Philip’s face that stated: “Elvis Presely: What? Why?” Upon opening to Presley’s section, his supposed sexually charged movements were pictured accompanied by images of hollering female fans. The narrative that went along with these images did not exactly reference Presley in the most ideal