Black and white: a portrayal of gender roles in American women's periodicals during the Eisenhour years

Abstract

This thesis examines how the media portrayed gender roles in periodical articles from 1953 to 1961. Magazines researched were those most widely read by white and black women. The purpose is to compare and contrast the views of white and black females concerning domesticity, education, career, children, sex, communism, and civil rights. This research found that periodicals promoted domesticity for white women between 1953 and 1957, and then became more interested writing about education and careers outside the home. On the other hand, periodicals aimed at African American women wrote about education and careers until 1957, and then began writing more about domesticity.