The BUNWC Tri-County Chapter of Brandeis National Women’s Committee will present guest speaker Philip C. Dolce, chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department and professor of history at Bergen Community College, Paramus, at its general meeting set for 2 p.m. May 20 at the Robbinsville Branch Library, 42 Allentown- Robbinsville Road, Robbinsville.
The program is free and open to the public.
The topic, “Growing Up in the 1950s: The Hopes and Frustrations of a Prosperous Age,” will focus its attention on the conflicting currents of the 1950s, according to a press release.
The stable family life and assigned roles for men, women and children — as depicted on television shows such as “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett” — led many people to believe they could create a similar lifestyle.
Good jobs; inexpensive suburban homes; and affordable cars, food and entertainment reinforced the hopes of a generation. However, various obstacles — the Cold War, the inequity of African-Americans, the women’s movement, rock ’n’ roll and its sexual connotations — created a strong countercurrent to mainstream culture. The subject promises to provoke a lively discussion, according to the press release.
This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
A nonsectarian organization, BUNWCTri County offers a wide range of activities, which include service to the community and programs that reflect the ideals of academic excellence and social justice.
The organization’s members need not be graduates of Brandeis University.
For more information, call 609-298- 4515.