Historical Year, 1955. Paper Example

The year 1955 should be considered a landmark in American history as it marked the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, which turned around the face of the United States. The primary reason why this year is essential is because of a woman known as Rosa Parks, who remains a legend in the life of African Americans. For many years, black people suffered as slaves in the hands of their white counterparts without having the courage to stand up to them. Finally, Rosa Parks decided to break the bondage by refusing to give a seat on a Montgomery bus to a white person (Archive 1). Although she knew the consequences, she still stood up to defend her rights, which translated to the Civil rights war, thus the need to consider it a landmark year.

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Culture of the time

The culture surrounding the incident was explicitly discriminatory of human beings based on the colour of their skin. One of the most memorable events was the arrest of Rosa Parks on the Montgomery bus. The issue of racial discrimination was so rampant that a black teenager named Emmet Till is murdered for refusing to show respect to a white woman. The year is also remembered for the growth of Rock and Roll Music and the upcoming musical idols such as the Comets, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, among others (Pearson 1). Additionally, young men's fashion continues to become trendy as most youths would match their dress with the times, wearing charcoal grey suits with pink shirts. Another cultural event in the same year was that on January 7, the first African American musician known as Marian Anderson got a chance to perform in New York at the Metropolitan Opera.

Politics of the Time

In 1955, the political class was headed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the 34th American President. It was not an election year as he had been elected in 1953, and in World War 2, he became famous as the United States General of the Armed Forces (Pearson 2). In the same year, the Warsaw Pact is formed, which was a response to a threat from NATO and Germany's re-militarization. The member states to this pact included Albania, the Soviet Union, Hungary, Romania, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. At the same time, leaders of the Soviet Union, France, The United States, and Britain meet in a summit at Geneva, Switzerland, which was the first of such since Potsdam. 1955 also saw Fidel Castro receive Amnesty from Batista after having served two years in Prison. The year has many political leaders making news and events surrounding governments of different countries.

Current Events and Important People

In this landmark year, the first remarkable event that happened was the decision by Rosa Parks to defy a white person on the Montgomery bus. The second event is the beginning of the Civil War, in which African Americans came together to fight for their rights of equality. Consequently, the two most essential people to remember here were Rosa Parks, who triggered the movement, and Martin Luther King Junior, who was the leader of the Civil Rights movement. They are both remarkable because were it not for their bravery and lack of fear; black people would have probably remained in bondage to date. The primary reason why we remember the two individuals and events is that since then, equality in America was achieved, and everyone can today enjoy the benefits that come with human rights. Thus, we should remember them as heroes and embodiments of equality and hope.

Work Cited

Archive, B. HISTORY | Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite Shows, May 12, 2020, www.history.com/topics/black-history/rosa-parks.

Pearson, Steve. "What Happened in 1955 Including Pop Culture, Significant Events, Key Technology and Inventions." The People History from 1800 to Present Day News, Prices, Popular Culture and More, The People History, 2020, www.thepeoplehistory.com/1955.html. Accessed May 15 2020.