the darker side of the 1950s 23.3. not everyone was fortunate as we have discussed, the 1950s was a...
TRANSCRIPT
Not Everyone Was Fortunate
• As we have discussed, the 1950s was a time of incredible abundance for many U.S. citizens
• However, not everyone experienced the new wealth and standard of living in this new era
• 20% of Americans (30 million people) lived below the poverty line during this time– Poverty line: the minimum income to support a
family
African Americans• During the Great
Migration, African Americans from the South to the urban areas of the North
• When WWI and WWII end, this has negative effects for these migrants– Job insecurity,
discrimination, poor housing, bad schools
• They were stuck in cities with low paying jobs– In 1958, African Americans’
salaries were 51% of what whites earned
Mexican Immigrants• Bracero Program: the U.S.
government arranged for workers from Mexico to help with harvests
• Some of these immigrants stayed in the States
• These people lived in extreme poverty– Worked long hours, labor
was intensive, low wages, poor living conditions
Native Americans
• By mid-century, Native Americans poorest ethnic group in the country
• After WWII, federal government encouraged (or forced) Native Americans to assimilate
• Termination Policy: the federal government withdrew all recognition of Native American groups as legal entities and put them under the rule of state governments
• The government provided incentives for Native Americans to move off of reservations and into cities
Appalachia
• Rural areas were hit hard, too
• Mechanization of mining and farming left these areas destitute
• People left these areas in droves
• Those who stayed faced high rates of nutritional deficiency and infant mortality, as well as terrible schools
Discussion Slide
• How could the suburbs have contributed to the forms of poverty that developed in the 1950s?