From the 1950s, America experienced numerous notable events both within and outside the nation. The emergence of the Civil Rights Movement, an example of the many New Left organizations, was among the outstanding domestic issues facing the country. Mass media also turned out an important element entering America’s life. Television was rapidly becoming a popular, crucial, and dominant media overtaking newspapers and radio. Cold War unfolded as a hotly debated topic within and outside the country, influencing media reports, film ideas, and radio news and commentary. Media personalities, filmmakers, activists, and leaders took advantage of the turbulent situation to advance their respective objectives. Notably, the different incidences influenced the role of women, primarily the black women in America. The mid-20th century was characterized by stormy events which directly or indirectly impacted the U.S. women’s history then and in the succeeding years.
Although black women such as Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth had made an impressive contribution to women’s history, Rosa Parks advanced the legacy in the 1950s. The mid-20th century was the height of intense resentment among African Americans due to institutionalized racism (Gore et al., 2009). Segregation was becoming a depressing challenge, especially in the southern states such as Alabama. In 1950, Rosa Parks, a black woman, defied the rules by refusing to surrender her seat to a white person in a bus in Montgomery, Alabama (Shea & Sclarow, 2014). With that one act, Rosa Park singlehandedly invigorated the struggle for racial equality by initiating protests and demonstrations across Alabama. The tension triggered the Civil Rights Movement, a fight for justice, equality, and human rights for African Americans between the 1950s and 1960s. In support of what Rosa Parks had started, the Black Power Movement and slogan came into being in the 1960s. The phrase became popular among proponents of the Civil Rights Movement. It championed racial equality, economic empowerment, and political inclusion for the black people in America. Thus, Rosa Parks influenced black women’s history by influencing Civil Rights Movement.
Other than Civil Rights Movement, Cold War was another crucial happening during the second half of the 20th century. The conflict was an ideological tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union or Russia advanced communism across the world, which America highly discouraged. Communism was an economic, political, and social idea revolving around a classless society and common ownership of property. On the contrary, the U.S. and most western nations advocated for capitalism in which private owners control capital. Since both countries had emerged as global superpowers, each tried to outdo the other by spreading their ideals across a significant part of the world. The Soviet Union became more radical in its influence, leading to conflicts and the installation of authoritarian regimes, which prompted America to intervene (Dye-Reeves, 2018). Within the U.S., the ongoing strife impacted mass media, primarily motion pictures. For example, in 1964, Stanley Kubrick directed and released a satirical commentary on the Cold War called Dr. Strangelove. The film portrayed the existing tension between the two warring nations regarding nuclear weapons. It was a significant production as it played a crucial role in polarizing the relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S.
At the height of the antagonism, women found their way to mass media by becoming influential reporters, radio presenters, reporters, and TV anchors. Since radio, newspapers, and TV were the primary communication media, being associated with any media was prestigious (Isserman & Kazin, 2000). Women comprised a trivial number among the media professionals at the time. However, the few notable ones made a household name due to their charming, charismatic, and influential characters. An excellent example was Margot Adler, who was a journalist and a writer. Adler surprised many by defying the societal expectations as a complex woman with wide-ranging skills, interests, and abilities. She became the epitome of success by dominating the world of journalism for almost three decades. Adler’s success in a field dominated by men depicted an affirmation of Sharon’s Statement in the belief that everyone has a right to be free from the restrictions of arbitrary forces (New Guard, 2016). She exercised her liberty to achieve greatness, which continues to inspire American women. Adler was among the few brave women to defy the status quo to create a name in the world of journalism.
Generally, the 20th century saw numerous complex events that shaped the history of American women. The coincidental emergence of the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and various mass media characterized the era. Surprisingly, women played a significant role in most events, which was an inspiration to all genders. Many women pursued their dreams leading to an increased representation of the female gender in different sectors of the economy in the U.S. However, each occurrence was unique, while some were dependent on others. The legacy of the mid-20th century still lives among Americans. For future consideration, an individual would want to know how women’s roles changed after the 20th century and how the events of the mid-1900s influenced the evolution.
References
Dye-Reeves, A. (2018). The origins of the Cold War: Deciphering open-access primary sources.College & Research Libraries News, 79(11), 621. Web.
Gore, D. F., Theoharis, J., & Woodard, K. (Eds.). (2009). Want to start a revolution? Radical women in the Black freedom struggle. NYU Press.
Isserman, M., & Kazin, M. (2000). America divided: The civil war of the 1960s. Oxford University Press on Demand.
New Guard. (2016). The Sharon statement: A timeless declaration of conservative principles. Young America’s Foundation. Web.
Shea, T., & Sclarow, A. (2014). Rosa Parks: Heroine of the civil rights movement. Rosen Publishing Group.