The 1950s was a decade marked by the post-World War II boom, the dawn of the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement in the United States. “America at this moment,” said the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1945, “stands at the summit of the world.”
During the 1950s, the United States was the world’s strongest military power. Its economy was booming, and the fruits of this prosperity–new cars, suburban houses and other consumer goods–were available to more people than ever before.
However, it was also an era of great conflict. For example, the nascent civil rights movement and the crusade against communism at home and abroad exposed the underlying divisions in American society.
These amazing Kodachrome slides were found by roz leibowitz that show what life of the U.S. looked like during the 1950s and early 1960s.
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| A woman's delight |
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| Blue and gold |
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| By the window |
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| Dreams |
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| Drowning |
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| Farmer's friends |
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| Flamingo park |
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| Hold all calls |
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| Kids holding lion kittens |
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| Lovely shadows with the baby leaning forward into the light |
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| Man overboard |
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| Morning study |
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| Motor home |
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| My friend and I |
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| Parrot jungle |
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| Photographers |
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| Playing cards |
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| Red crash |
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| Shadows |
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| Silly people doing silly things |
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| Smiling ladies |
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| Stamped: “1952” |
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| Stamped: “March 13, 1958” |
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| Sunday |
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| The bonnets |
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| The dark sea |
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| The dresses |
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| The end of civilization |
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| The laundress |
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| The midnight raid |
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| Add caption |
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| The swan |
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| Tiny |
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| Winter window |
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| With very large fig leaves |
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| Written on slide: “Joy, Lillian 57 Dodge” |
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| Written on slide: “Lois and hairdryer” |
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| Written on slide: “Steven at Halloween Oct. 54” |
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| Written on slide: “Train trip return by car May 56” |
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| Written on slide: “Wichita? '54” |