My Parents

By Lorie Herrman

 

My parents were born in the 1940’s, and became teenagers in the 1950’s.  They experienced events prior to my birth which many American’s shared with them. The 1950’s had a little of everything in them, yet according to my dad, Larry Landphear, “certain events were more profound than others.” Some of the larger events he could recall were: the Russians space program advancing ahead of America’s; the Ku Klux Klan mobbing against black people in the south; and the assassination of President Kennedy. He also remembers the plane crash which killed three music talents, and the night Elvis Presley appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Dickens famous quote could be used to define the 1950’s, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…”

 

Sputnik vs NASA

 

On October 4, 1957, America learned that Russia had sent an artificial satellite (2 Red) to orbit. Americans became scared because they figured Russians now had the capability to send ballistic missiles to the United States (Garber). Sputnik II followed closely only this time with a dog on board. These Russian trips to space spawned the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) program in the United States (Garber). We Americans don’t like to be beat, but on August 12, 1962 the Russians topped us again. The Russians sent two Cosmonauts to space. They were able to orbit two times, and land safely (2 Red). 

 

President Kennedy in his defense stated, “… this country started late in the 1950s. We are behind and we will be behind for a period in the future, but we are making a major effort now, and this country will be heard from in space in the coming months and years” (2 Red). He was true to his word only he didn’t live to see the American astronauts land on the moon in 1969 because he was assassinated in 1963.

 

John F. Kennedy

 

President Kennedy was liked by many young people probably because he and his family were younger than previous Presidents. Obviously he made some enemies along the way because on November 20, 1963, he was shot and killed. An eyewitness of the assassination, Zapruder was filming the whole thing. He heard and saw both shots as they hit Kennedy. The second shot was the one to Kennedy’s head, and Zapruder had this to say, “Before I had a chance to organize my mind, I heard the second shot and then I saw his head opened up and the blood and everything came out and I started—I can hardly talk about it” (Zapruder). 

 

My dad said that Americans were very somber upon hearing about the assassination. “The day went by in slow motion, and no one really spoke of much else,” he said.  President Kennedy would be missed by the black community as well because like his brother Robert Kennedy, he helped support black people in their fight for civil rights.

 

Civil Rights

 

Black citizens were fighting for their God given rights way before the Kennedy’s became involved, but their efforts were halted in the 1940’s. It was 1946 when the Supreme Court passed a ruling stating that segregating bus passengers was unconstitutional. (Cozzens) Although when black and white passengers decided to test this ruling they were treated unfairly, and some were sent to jail. This effort was labeled the “Journey of Reconciliation” by the Congress of Racial Equality, or CORE (Cozzens). Almost nonexistent after the conflict, CORE became hopeful fifteen years later when Kennedy became President.

 

However, President John F. Kennedy didn’t act quickly enough for the CORE group so they resumed their freedom rides as a way to force his hand (Cozzen). In actuality Robert Kennedy may have been more sympathetic to the CORE group’s agenda. He was the Attorney General, and his efforts went beyond the necessary involvement which makes it seem as though he wanted equality for black people. 

 

 

Freedom Riders

 

The riders began their journey from Washington, D.C. on May 4, 1961, and headed for New Orleans (Cozzen). The CORE group boarded their buses with blacks in the front and whites in the back which was opposite of the south’s normal seating arrangements. They reached Alabama on May 14 in two buses, and that is when all hell broke loose. The first bus arrived in Anniston, and mobs threw stones at it. Also the tires were slashed. Outside of town it was firebombed. The second bus was met by a mob also, but passengers were pulled off the bus and beaten (Cozzen). It’s hard to believe that people treated other people with so much hatred all for the color of their skin, but they did.

 

The governor John Patterson was very indifferent about these deplorable acts of violence, rather he seemed to validate them by saying, “When you go somewhere looking for trouble, you usually find it… you just can’t guarantee the safety of a fool and that’s what these folks are, just fools” (Cozzen). This is the point when the Kennedy brother’s were forced to become involved. 

 

Federal Marshals

 

It was On May 21, 1961 in Montgomery, Alabama, the Ku Klux Klan was actively attacking innocent people on buses.  The buses carried passengers of mixed race, but blacks were the primary targets of violence. Twenty people were injured in the attacks. Robert Kennedy and President Kennedy wanted to bring peace to the region. They sent 400 U.S. Federal Marshals because they feared the situation would become more radical. The President said, “I hope that state and local officials in Alabama will meet their responsibilities. The United States Government intends to meet its” (Lewis). He goes on further by urging citizens to avoid doing any kind of violence (Lewis).

 

Unfortunately, the freedom riders never made their final destination of New Orleans because in Mississippi they were arrested. They were sentenced by a racist judge, which was typical of the south, to 60 days in the state penitentiary (Cozzen). Robert Kennedy didn’t give up his fight for equality for the black people, and he managed to get stricter laws passed to outlaw the segregation of interstate bus travels. Without his efforts the freedom riders would have endured much suffering for nothing. My dad said the entire goings on would make a persons head spin, and perhaps that’s why so many of America’s youth, black and white, rejoiced when rock and roll became the hot topic of debate. 

 

Elvis Presley

 

By the year 1956 almost every home had a television, and most of America’s youth were sitting in front of it the night Elvis Presley appeared on prime time T.V. The show hosted by Ed Sullivan was called the “Talk of the Town”, and Elvis certainly was the talk of the town as well as the state, and perhaps the country. “His pelvic gyrations were considered so scandalous that he was shown only from the waist up” (Presley). Elvis actually debuted on television in 1955 on the Jackie Gleason’s Stage Show. Most people like my dad remember the Ed Sullivan show as the first show to see Elvis. The Ed Sullivan show was probably more popular at the time.

 

Anyway, my dad remembers sitting and watching the television like other teenagers across America. He said that everyone thought Elvis was very cool. Elvis continued on with his career in music, and starred in several movies as well. He was a definite 1950’s icon, and I know I thought he was still something in the 1970’s when I watched his old movies. My mom and I were sad when we learned of his death in 1976. Elvis Presley was certainly in a league of his own, but he was not the only musical talent of the times.

 

The Day the Music Died

 

As a matter of fact, February 3, 1959 is another day my dad remembers quite well.  The day is coined as, “The day the music died.”  The reason it is called that is because three young famous musicians died in a plane crash: Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and Jiles B. Richardson (The Big Bopper). They had all performed at a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa. Apparently, the Big Bopper wasn’t feeling well, so Waylon Jennings gave him his seat on the plane. Joking around Richardson told Jennings he hoped the bus froze. Responding Jennings said, “Well, I hope your plane crashes” (Rich). Obviously Jennings had no idea what was to happen that night. He was spooked by his words for many years (Rich).

 

Richie Valens actually won his seat through a coin toss with another musician named Tommy Allsup. I’ll bet the musician Allsup was freaked when he learned of the plane crash. He lived on, and later opened a club which he named, “The Head’s Up Saloon” (Rich). The name he got from the coin toss that saved his life. Apparently, it was snowing and because they left at 1 A.M., it was dark with little visibility. No passengers or pilot survived the crash so no one knows for sure what happened. It didn’t take long for the plane to crash after take off. The plane reportedly crashed due to inclement weather (Rich). 

 

American Pie

 

A song was written by Don McLean in 1972 called “American Pie”, and it describes the way he and others felt on that tragic day.  One part from the song is, “Bad news on the doorstep. I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried when I read about his widowed bride, but something touched me deep inside, the day the music died” (Rich). My dad said he and others liked the song because it clearly described the way many of them felt when they heard news of the crash. I remember my mom telling me that Richie Valens was quite the heartthrob, and many young girls were very tearful when they learned of the crash. 

 

In conclusion, the fight for equality was too long and too many people suffered or died. People should have accepted blacks as equal human beings with no questions asked, but that isn’t what happened. Americans today take for granted the freedom they claim as their God given right. The Freedom Riders didn’t have to fight to make a better life, but they are American’s and would accept nothing less than equality. Thank God for their spirit, and their courage!! It’s comforting to know that many white citizens chose to fight along side of their black brothers and sisters. America’s competition with Russia to reach space may have been achieved by the Russians first, but America later became the first to walk on the moon! We always got to win!

 

President Kennedy appeared to have many admirers, but like most of us wasn’t loved by everybody. He was a politician and did his best work when forced too. Lastly, similar to other times of history; during times of great diversity entertainment seems to be our favorite escape. Also if the teenagers love the music; the adults will probably find something immoral about it! 

Back Home Next