American Culture
1950-2000
Equal Opportunity
Equal opportunity means treating people without discrimination especially on the basis of their sex, race, or age.
School Desegregation (1950's)
In the early 1950's African Americans were segregated in all aspects of society including education. The "Separate but equal" law made it possible for students to be separated according to race, but the conditions in African American schools were much worse than other schools. After the court case Brown V. Board school segregation was declared unconstitutional on May 17th, 1954. This huge advancement for some equal opportunity among races helped begin the movement for everyone to have the same opportunities in the future.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
After some equal opportunity movements in the 1950's they became more prominent in the 1960's with the help of Martin Luther King Jr. and his use of non-violent protests and civil disobedience. After many years of efforts President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act creating eliminating segregation and biased voting requirements. The passing of this act created more opportunities for minority groups all over America.
Jackie Robinson (1970's)
The 1970's were the beginning of the first decade where minority groups were truly beginning to have equal opportunities. Athletes like Jackie Robinson helped really break through the barrier as he gained respect from all people in the sports world. Equal opportunity were beginning to be upheld as a value in American culture at this point in history.
Progress
Onward or forward movement toward a destination.
Social Media (2000's)
The creation of social media allowed for people to stay connected and share their lives with their friends and family who may or may not be in close contact. Paired with the progress of cell phones becoming smart phones people were able to stay connected anywhere. The great success of these products demonstrates how much American people value the new advancements in the technological world.
Cable (1980's)
Instead of just normal TV; cable TV became an affordable option for many families in the 1980's. Some of the new specialty channels that were offered influenced the styles, language, and financial success of many individuals. The continuous progress and popularity of technology showed how much people valued the progress being made.
Internet (1990's)
The internet was a work in progress for a long time, but became " the world wide web" in the 1990's when it allowed people to connect all over the world. The creation of the internet allowed people access to more information than they ever had access to before. The commercial success of the internet showed how much the creation of internet was valued.
Freedom
The power or right to act, think, or speak as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
Don't ask, don't tell. (1993-94)
Homosexuals were not allowed to serve in the US military for a long time, but don't ask, don't tell allowed them to serve as long as they did not speak of their sexual orientation. This kept superiors from questioning people, and prevented homosexuals from being treated differently while serving. Don't ask, don't tell showed that people valued freedom because they didn't want to stop people from being able to serve just because of their sexual orientation.
Same Sex Marriage (2003)
President Barrack Obama made same sex marriage allowed in 2003 but it was only passed by a few states. Although not all states passed the law to make same sex marriage legal; the beginning of the movement showed that American people want the right to choose how to live their lives without being restricted.
Democratic National Convention (1968)
Peaceful protests against war at the 1968 Democratic National Convention became violent when police brutally attacked protesters. Older generations were not bothered by the violence but the younger culture were disgusted. The right to protest is the first amendment in the bill of rights, but this freedom was taken away during this convention. Different groups reactions showed the value they have for this right.