PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The 1950s are often remembered in an idyllic and nostalgic way, and it’s easy to understand why some long for that era. After all, the country was globally respected, the economy boomed, and an abundance of well-paid jobs grew the middle-class. Life was safe and pleasant in the brand-new suburbs that seemed to sprout from farmlands overnight. Suburban living meant backyard barbeques, pool parties, white picket fences, and an American-built car in the driveway. It was the perfect picture of the American dream.
By the end of the decade, about 15 percent of the population, or 20 million people, had moved from cities to suburban homes, marking one of the largest migrations in American history. But in addition to being advertised as welcoming, friendly, and safe, the 1950s suburban neighborhood also embodied the reality of racial division in postwar America. As a matter of policy, African Americans were largely barred from purchasing such suburban homes.
Allen Pietrobon, an assistant professor of global affairs at Trinity Washington University and an award-winning historian, explores how and why the unique form of suburban living first arose in America, the legacies of the suburbs, and how they shaped our politics, culture, race relations, and gender dynamics. He also examines what we can learn about our nostalgia for the 1950s and how that era continues to impact American culture and politics today.