In the 1950s, America was simply booming. An economic boom, a housing boom, and a baby boom led to a decade marked by prosperity, optimism, and ambition. As the growing middle class chased the new American dream of suburban living, car ownership, and expanding families, many turned their dreams southward to the Sun Belt. Not all Americans, however, shared equally in the prosperity and opportunities of the postwar era. People of color were excluded from the American Dream of self-determination and civil liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. As a result, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Indigenous Americans fought with renewed pride, energy, and resolve to win their full freedoms and rights. The 1950s would become a decade of both unwavering hope and unprecedented change.
In our February Heritage Lecture Series, archivist Kayleigh Howald explored how Delray Beach citizens’ fight for equality and an open beach impacted the community and the legacy of the summer of 1956.
