1957 – The Baby Boomer Journey
Babies born in 1957 will be 69 years old at some point in 2026. I turned 11 years old in January and I was in the sixth grade.
Top world news: On May 15, 1957, the United Kingdom successfully tested its first thermonuclear weapon, becoming the world’s third hydrogen-bomb power. On July 1, scientists from 67 countries began the International Geophysical Year, an unprecedented international effort to study Earth, its atmosphere and its relationship with the Sun. Then, on October 4, the Soviet Union stunned the world by launching Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. The achievement ushered in the Space Age and intensified Cold War competition between the Soviet Union and the United States. On November 3, the Soviets launched Sputnik 2 carrying Laika, the first animal to orbit Earth. America’s first attempt to launch a satellite ended dramatically on December 6 when the Vanguard rocket exploded shortly after liftoff, increasing pressure on the United States to catch up in the growing Space Race.
Here in America: On September 4, 1957, the nine African American students who became known as the Little Rock Nine attempted to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, but were blocked by the Arkansas National Guard under orders from Governor Orval Faubus. On September 9, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the first major federal civil rights law in more than 80 years. The law strengthened federal protections for African American voting rights and marked an important step in the Civil Rights Movement. As the crisis in Little Rock continued, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered troops from the 101st Airborne Division into Little Rock on September 24. The following day, under federal troop protection, the Little Rock Nine entered Central High School for their first full day of classes, becoming enduring symbols of the struggle to desegregate America’s public schools.
Also making news: On June 27, Hurricane Audrey struck Louisiana and Texas, devastating communities along the Gulf Coast and killing more than 400 people. On July 16, Marine Major John Glenn flew from California to New York in just over three hours, setting a new transcontinental speed record. Five years later, he would become the first American to orbit Earth.
Entertainment and other news events: On August 5, 1957, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand began broadcasting nationally on ABC, bringing rock and roll, popular recording artists and the latest dances into homes across America. The program became especially popular with young viewers and helped shape teenage music and dance culture. On December 20, Elvis Presley received his draft notice from the U.S. Army. He would be inducted the following March, temporarily interrupting one of the most successful careers in popular music.
The Baby Boom remained near its peak in 1957, with more than four million babies born in the United States that year. The growing number of children continued to influence American schools, neighborhoods, entertainment and consumer culture.
The Monster Craze Begins — 1957–1958: In the fall of 1957, classic horror films from the 1930s and 1940s began reaching a whole new generation when a package of old Universal movies was released to television stations across the country. Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy and The Wolf Man became favorites with young viewers, including Baby Boomers who were seeing many of these famous monsters for the first time. The craze soon spread beyond television to monster magazines, masks, toys, model kits and Halloween costumes, helping make the classic monsters an enduring part of Baby Boomer culture.
Broadway audiences enjoyed several memorable new musicals in 1957, including New Girl in Town, West Side Story and The Music Man. Television remained at the center of American family entertainment, with Gunsmoke, The Danny Thomas Show, Tales of Wells Fargo and Have Gun – Will Travel among the popular programs of the 1957–1958 season. Popular movies of 1957 included The Bridge on the River Kwai, Peyton Place, Sayonara, Old Yeller and 12 Angry Men.
1957 was a landmark year in popular music as rock and roll moved firmly into the mainstream. Elvis Presley continued to dominate the charts, while rising stars such as Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Paul Anka, Ricky Nelson and Jerry Lee Lewis helped shape the sound of a new generation. Popular songs included All Shook Up and Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley, Wake Up Little Susie by The Everly Brothers, That’ll Be the Day by Buddy Holly, Diana by Paul Anka and Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On by Jerry Lee Lewis. Traditional pop also remained popular, with hits such as Love Letters in the Sand by Pat Boone and Tammy by Debbie Reynolds.
Do you remember watching American Bandstand after school? Did your family own a shiny new car with tailfins? A Formica kitchen table? Did your mom host Tupperware parties, or did you carry a transistor radio everywhere you went?
Do you have a memory you would like to share? Join the conversation at Share Your Baby Boomer Memories and tell us what you remember.