Historical Dictionary of the 1950s

by Olson, James Stuart

• ISBN13: 9780313306198
• ISBN10: 0313306192
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-07-30
• Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group

Summary

Today, Americans look back nostalgically at the 1950s, an era when television and rock and roll revolutionized popular culture, and Vietnam, race riots, drug abuse, and protest movements were still in the future. With homes in the suburbs, new automobiles, and the latest electrical gadgets, many Americans believed they were the most prosperous people on earth. Yet the era was tainted by the fear of thermonuclear war, deepening racial tensions, and discontent with rigid roles for women and the demands of corporate conformity. A sense of rebellion had begun to brew behind the facade. This book provides entries on the prominent people, issues, scandals, ideas, popular culture, and events of the decade.

Author Biography

JAMES S. OLSON is Distinguished Professor of History at Sam Houston State University, where he has taught since 1972. He is the author of more than 20 books on U.S. and world history, including Historical Dictionary of the 1970s (Greenwood, 1999) and Historical Dictionary of the 1960s (Greenwood, 1999).

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
The Dictionary	1	(318)
Chronology of the 1950s	319	(10)
Selected Bibliography	329	(10)
Index	339