After emerging from World War II as one of the victorious Allies, the United States entered a period of marked and rapid economic prosperity. As one of the Allied powers which had not suffered direct invasion by Axis forces, the USA was able to recover from the hardships of the 1930s Great Depression, in part due to its active role in wartime manufacturing and supply, and also in part due to its intact infrastructure and political stability. During the 1950s, America witnessed the expansion of the middle class and a general increase in the standard of living. While Europe struggled to recover from the residual deprivations of war, a mass refugee crisis, and the division of the continent into the democratic West and the Soviet East, America projected an air of sunny self-confidence with a boom in industry, finance, and entertainment.

Despite this prosperous exterior, the USA had many social and racial tensions simmering just below the surface. Segregation—the legal separation of African American citizens from Caucasian citizens—remained ongoing, and discrimination against immigrant groups fleeing the effects of war in Europe was rife. The general conservatism of American culture was also oppressive for those who were not its main beneficiaries, and gender minorities such as women and the LGBTQ community often faced a deeply restrictive and bigoted environment.