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And with some of what was said early on, it leaves some things to wonder. In 1950, a Black person could be arrested for sitting "in the wrong part of the bus", at least in the South. Blacks were being denied important freedoms in those days. However, there are people saying that Americans were more free back then. Americans of Japanese descent were coming out of being sent to internment camps in the 1940s.
Maybe white males were more free back then. Can't think of anyone else that was.
I think there is a direct correlation between technology and happiness . More technology equals less happiness. Less face to face time with other humans, and shorter attention spans induced by technology do not make for happy campers.
Reportedly, about 30%of married women worked in the 50's.
My mother was one of them.
She told me to marry a Jewish guy so I would not have to work. She also told me to become a good typist so I would have something to fall back on. I ignored this counsel.
I have to smile because of the typing part: I think many young women heard that or they were told to be nurses or teachers. And yes, that was about the time things started changing. Also the part about marrying a Jewish. Our daughter did just that: guess who has always been the bigger bread winner in their family? She has and I will add, our son in laws mom worked. Still 30% of the woman working is nothing like today's %.
Of course what we experienced as children, growing up post WW2 and Korea probably had more to do with where in the country we lived.
BTW, I wonder how many here were affected in anyway by the Watts riots? We were or almost. We had just closed escrow on our little home that was in the curfew area. No, we were not buying, we had just sold it. We also have 5 different friends who were police officers at the time in and around Watts. For those who used Watts as an example, I will ask again, how many really experienced the horrible situation.
And for those who say they have been told by people in nursing homes how lucky they are to be living today and not in the 50s, why do they say that?
I'm Black and I live in the South now. Right now, I'm having a cordial conversation with a White female, and we are around the same age. I'm at the university of MY choosing. I get to eat wherever I choose to eat. I can live where I want, travel, and if I ever go back to the dating scene, there are no laws telling me who I can and can't date based on race. Race isn't an issue with me as far as dating goes, and living in 2013, I'm grateful for living now instead of the 50s.
My father was born in the 50s. He was born and raised in the North. He was not raised with the Jim Crow laws of the South. And in his neighborhood, there were Black doctors, lawyers, and teachers. However, there was still discrimination. There were still places he could not live in during the 50s and 60s. Both of his parents were able to buy their own home and have jobs. However, there were still issues. My father lived in a rougher section of the city. With housing discrimination laws, his parents bought a home where they could, and they ended up in one of he rougher parts of the city. His high school wasn't as good as other high schools in the city, albeit, he did get a good education.
I don't think I could have been a Black adult in the South during the 50s. This having to "know your place" thing is not something I want to deal with. I want to be able to just be me.
I think in a way, my father has it better today. He has a much better job than his parents did. He has two university degrees. He owns a bigger home than what his parents had. And he had a choice in WHERE he could buy his home. If my father wants to start a business, he very well could do so. He has a son with a college degree(me) and another college graduate on the way.
Thanks for giving us an objective view on what it was like for your parents. I think we can all get a feel on what it was really like for some by hearing stories like you are telling us about your family experiences.
Right, can't overlook those. The idea of "college is for everyone" was created by the GI Bill; the idea of "home ownership is for everyone" was created by VA home loans. The GI Bill and VA loans enabled millions of vets to move off the farm and into that new invention: Suburbs.
Damn that big government! They can't do anything right.
I'm pretty sure black people were a lot less happy in the 50s and 60s.
My father would disagree with you. He says he feels sorry for young black males today because they have lost their role in the community as husbands and fathers and the pressure to live a less than respectful life is incredible. My boys, on the other hand, have taken advantage of the expanded opportunities available to their generation and wouldn't trade places with him for anything. They will agree with him that the peer pressure to blow off school and other hallmarks of white success is difficult.
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I ignored this counsel.
