Historical Dictionary of the 1950s Author:James S. Olson 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 p... more »eople 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.« less