1948 – The Baby Boomer Journey
Babies born in 1948 would be 78 years old at some point in 2026. I was 2 years old in January.
While black-and-white television was still a luxury few families owned in 1948, television ownership was beginning to grow rapidly. Radio remained the primary source of news and home entertainment for most American families.
On April 3, President Truman signed the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948, better known as the Marshall Plan. The program provided billions of dollars in American assistance to help rebuild the economies of Western Europe after World War II while also strengthening those nations against the spread of communism. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its independence, and the United States recognized the new nation that same day. The following day, armies from neighboring Arab states entered the conflict, escalating the fighting into the first Arab-Israeli War. The Cold War intensified dramatically in 1948. On June 24, the Soviet Union blocked road, rail and water access to the Western-controlled sectors of Berlin. The United States and its allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, flying food, fuel and other necessities into West Berlin. The airlift continued into 1949 and became one of the first major confrontations of the Cold War.
On December 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaiming that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. It established an important global standard for human rights and influenced constitutions, international agreements and human rights laws around the world.
Here in America, the civil rights movement continued to build momentum. Although major victories were still years away, organizations and community leaders continued challenging racial discrimination and laying the groundwork for future change. On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, establishing a policy of equality of treatment and opportunity in the U.S. Armed Forces regardless of race, color, religion or national origin. It became a major milestone in the struggle for civil rights.
Going to the theater was one of America’s favorite forms of entertainment in 1948. Families dressed up to go to the local theater, where they often watched a newsreel, a cartoon (or two) and a feature film (sometimes a double feature)—all for the price of a single ticket. In 1948, Americans were buying roughly 90 million movie tickets each week. Some of the top movies included The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, starring Humphrey Bogart; Easter Parade, starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire; and Red River, starring John Wayne.
Broadway and music were also popular forms of entertainment in 1948. Broadway audiences enjoyed musicals such as Where’s Charley?, Love Life and Kiss Me, Kate. Popular music was gradually changing as the Big Band Era faded and individual singers became increasingly important. Traditional pop remained popular, with performers such as Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole among the familiar voices of the era, while rhythm and blues continued to grow and influence the sound of the years ahead.
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