(This post and tomorrow’s will try to get at a view of Americans in the 1950s. Tomorrow’s will be a look at the strengths and weaknesses of American life, society, and culture in the 1950s. Today’s will try to encapsulate how many Americans looked at their history at that time. In my new novel We Are Like Fire, the main character, Ren Prothero, gives his very young daughter Rosy and young nephew Yale the most positive view of America that he can. It’s the Fourth of July, 1958, at the home of Ren and his wife Vera in Denver, Colorado.)
As bedtime approaches for the children, they have a request. “Uncle Ren,” says Yale, “give us that talk again!”
Vera looks at Dieter and Gisela. “It’s become a family tradition on the Fourth of July for Ren to give a short speech about America.”
“How interesting,” says Gisela.
“Da,” says Dieter.
I look at Yale. “You like that one, hey Ace?”
He nods. “Yes, Uncle Ren!”
“Me too, Daddy!” Rosy cheers.
“Why not?” I respond. I wave Rosy over to sit on my lap. I don’t want her to miss one word. “Ready, sweetie?”
“Yes, Daddy!”
“Okay. Here goes”:
The American story begins, for us White folks, with choosing to make a voyage by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. For our first European ancestors, America started out as a vision and a quest.
After our odysseys across the ocean, we became settlers. Along the rocky coast. All through the green forests. We settled in as farmers, blacksmiths, craftsmen, and merchants. And we gathered to decide public matters at our town meetings.
Next came the strategic command and personal dignity of George Washington. And the brilliance of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. And soon we had a Republic with a Constitution and a Bill of Rights.
Trappers and traders headed further and further west. There was the settler Davey Crockett. There were the explorers Lewis and Clark. And we became a nation of self-reliant pioneers making our way across the frontier.
For two and a half centuries, White plantation owners with flawed souls enslaved Colored folk. Eventually, some of these suffering Black folks were able to escape with help from the Underground Railroad and brave rescuers like Harriet Tubman.
Ralph Waldo Emerson called each of us to realize our innate, original genius.
Along came the wise and noble Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil War concluded with the chains of slaves falling to the ground.
The West filled up with venturesome folk like Pecos Bill and the cowboys, the Pony Express riders, and the prospectors and miners of silver and gold. The North and Midwest boomed with steel and oil and railways and the brilliance of Thomas Edison, who developed the light bulb and three major new industries: electricity, sound recordings, and movies. Dynamic progress made Americans the most prosperous people on Earth.
Mark Twain became the cracker-barrel voice of America.
William James succeeded Emerson as America’s leading thinker.
And Helen Keller became America’s most profound example of how we overcome obstacles and challenges.
Next came your grandparents’ generation, the Jazz Generation, led musically by Louis Armstrong and in literature by Sinclair Lewis and in art by Georgia O’Keefe.
An immigrant named David Sarnoff launched the radio industry and then the television industry, powerfully changing our day-to-day lives.
And then came your parents’ generation, starting in 1927 with Charles Lindbergh flying the Atlantic. Our generation responded to Pearl Harbor by putting on our uniforms and uniting with our sense of purpose, mission, duty, and responsibility – and our courage. The War tested our mettle but we and the Brits and our other allies emerged the victors on VE-Day and VJ-Day. We secured Freedom’s total triumph over Fascism.
In the dozen years since the War, we’ve crowded into America’s colleges and gotten ourselves good jobs and nice homes in all these amiable new suburbs. Now we’re unstoppable – with of our cheerful optimism, and our satellites and computer chips – and we’re doing our best so Freedom will eventually triumph over the Soviet system. Cause deep down we’re confident that the story of humanity is going to turn out all right.
And now there’s you. Our generation is having lots of kids, giving you a good education and plenty of good toys like Slinkies and Legos, and raising you in this splendid land of opportunity. So just be like us: never complain, get things done, build things that work, join in the teamwork to solve problems, and keep on keeping on.
“Yay!” whoops Rosy.
Yale claps and shouts. “I love being an American!”
“Well done,” affirms Dad.
Dylan laughs. “From Lincoln to Slinkies in one speech, Uncle Ren?” I shrug, tilt my head, nod sheepishly.
Gisela smiles. “I thought it was lovely.”
Dieter smirks. “Glossy.”
“Now, Dieter,” Gisela rebuffs him, “it’s perfect for young people.”
“Nice and wholesome,” says Vera.
“Left out my generation,” Dylan complains.
“The adult version – or even the college version – would be much more nuanced and sophisticated,” I assure Dieter.
Mike. I really enjoyed reading this. It captures the spirit and the makings of each and subsequent generation. Superb! Francisco.
Loved it