Youth Of The 1950s Analysis

My dear daughter, you appear restless with your life in 1950s suburbia. You talk of the Cold War, poverty, and civil rights as monsters that lurk outside your bedroom door. I write this history to explain how lucky you are to live in a time of prosperity and peace. Atlanta is a booming town, however, our compact home is a haven of family and love. Do not become tempted to reverse all the progress your family has made, for our lives were often difficult and cruel. In your eyes, I am nothing more than a lowly white housewife that spends her days cooking and cleaning, however I lived a complete other life before you ever existed. The youth of the 1950s criticizes the conformity of the middle-class, however, this level of comfort is preferable to the uncertain and dangerous political, economic,

When I was a young girl, I hid behind the sofa whenever Papa would talk about President Hoover. Papa became red in the face whenever anyone mentioned the President’s name and he called the man a traitor to the American public. When my father came back from the war in 1918, several of his friends made a number of unfortunate choices in the stock market. When the stock market crashed in 1929, two of his war buddies and their children came to live with us. These poor children didn’t have a slice of bread for lunch or shoes on their feet. When their fathers formed the Bonus Army and went to Washington, DC to demand their pay, President Hoover shot those men and burned their belongings. (1) In earlier days, the government didn’t care for the well-being of the common man. Politicians were in the business of looking after their wealthy cronies. Speaking up for your fellow man meant you lost your job, your freedom, or even your life. The world of politics became even scarier right after I married your father in 1941. Your father and I were listening to the radio after our evening meal when