Servicemen's Readjustment Act (GI Bill)
A federal law that provided various benefits to returning World War II veterans, including funding for education, housing, and unemployment compensation.
Taft-Hartley Act
A 1947 U.S. federal law that restricted the activities and power of labor unions, aimed at balancing the power between labor and management.
Levittown
A suburban development created in the 1940s and 1950s by William Levitt, known for its mass-produced affordable housing, symbolizing post-war suburbanization.
Sun Belt
A region in the southern United States characterized by a warm climate, economic growth, and a significant population increase, especially after WWII.
Beats
A group of American writers and artists in the 1950s who rejected conventional society and explored alternative lifestyles and artistic expressions, often associated with jazz and spontaneity.
To Secure These Rights
A 1947 report by the President's Committee on Civil Rights that outlined the need for civil rights protections for African Americans, advocating for an end to racial discrimination.
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
A landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional, effectively ending racial segregation in schools.
Montgomery Improvement Association
An organization formed in 1955 to oversee the Montgomery Bus Boycott, advocating for civil rights and desegregation in Montgomery, Alabama.
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
A civil rights organization founded in 1957 that emphasized nonviolent protest and played a major role in the American civil rights movement.
Little Rock Nine
A group of nine African American students who enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in 1957, becoming symbols of the struggle against racial segregation in public schools.
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
A civil rights organization founded in 1960 that focused on direct action and grassroots organizing to promote civil rights, particularly among young people.
Modern Republicanism
A political philosophy associated with President Dwight D. Eisenhower that emphasized a moderate approach, balancing conservative fiscal policies with social welfare.
National Interstate and Defense Highway Act
A 1956 law that authorized the construction of a nationwide system of interstate highways, significantly impacting American transportation and suburbanization.
Systemic Racism
A form of racism embedded in the policies, practices, and systems of institutions, resulting in discrimination and disadvantage for marginalized racial groups.
Civil Rights Movement
A decades-long struggle by African Americans and their allies to end racial discrimination and secure equal rights under the law, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s.