Sometimes shortened to Boomers, Baby Boomers are one of the most well-known social generations. The Baby Boomers followed the Silent Generation and came before Generation X. This generation also had to deal with society's increasing interest in defining the world by generation. As a result, the Baby Boomer Generation is one of the only generations recognized in other countries.

The second World War ended in 1945, and with it, Congress passed the G.I. Bill in the summer of 1944. The G.I. Bill was a way to integrate veterans back into the economy and make it possible to get low-interest loans for land and homes. It also made the prospect of higher education possible for these veterans.

Those who returned from World War II were reaching for the American Dream, which was partly made possible by the G.I. bill. Many of these veterans got married, started families, and moved to the suburbs. Entire neighborhoods of young wives had children simultaneously, and new schools were built. It was this time of great prosperity that started the Baby Boomer Generation.

Who is the Baby Boomer Generation?

The Baby Boomer Generation is the cohort born from 1946 to 1964. They are often the parents of Generation X or Millennials. However, late Baby Boomers can be the parents of members of Generation Z. Changes in education, and cultural movements defined this generation. As of 2022, Baby Boomers make up 21.45% of the United States population, falling just behind Millennials, who make up 21.93% of the population. Their size makes the Baby Boomer Generation incredibly influential to the economy and society overall.

In the United States alone, 76 million babies were born from 1946 to 1964. By the year 2029, the United States Census Bureau predicts there will be around 61 million Baby Boomers left. Experts also predict that by 2034, those over 65 will outnumber those under 18.

There are discrepancies surrounding the timespan of most social generations. But with the Baby Boomer Generation, there is agreement between many well-established organizations such as the Pew Research Center, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Gallup. In fact, it's the only generation recognized by the United States Census Bureau.

However, there are still some who disagree with the timeline. William Strauss and Neil Howe are authors who developed one of the most well-known generational theories. Their book, Generations, defines Baby Boomers as the cohort born between 1943 and 1960. They describe this generation as the group of people who were too young to remember World War II but old enough to recognize the high after the war before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

The cohort is divided into two different groups because of the size of the generation. The first group is considered the "leading-edge baby boomers." This group describes those born between 1946 and 1955, identifying more than half of the generation. On the other hand, the second group is sometimes called Generation Jones, the "trailing-edge baby boomers" or "late bloomers," and identifies those born between 1956 and 1964. This second group came of age after the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal.

How did they get their name?

Most Baby Boomers are the children of either the Silent Generation or the Greatest Generation. They got their name because they were born during the post-World War II Baby Boom. After soldiers returned from the war, a significant baby boom was due to financial prosperity, a strong economy, and hope for a better future. The baby boom that occurred after the war made this generation one of the largest. Millennials are the only generation that has exceeded the Baby Boomer Generation's size.

From 1940 to 1950, the population increased by over 2 million. The first instance of the phrase Baby Boomer was in a 1963 article in the Daily Press. That same year, the Oxford English Dictionary quoted the Salt Lake Tribune, referring to the generation by this name. However, referring to an increase in the number of children born as a "baby boom" goes back to the 19th century.

Before they were officially called Baby Boomers, the name Generation X, which ended up being the name of the next generation in the United States, was considered. The Baby Boomer Generation was referred to as "Generation X" in The Observer, a British newspaper.

The Baby Boomer Generation is the only social generation recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. However, some differentiate between the later Baby Boomers and the early Boomers, claiming they had a much different experience. When there is a differentiation, the latter half is called Generation Jones or trailing-edge Baby Boomers.

Characteristics of the Baby Boomer Generation

Baby Boomers were trailblazers in a lot of ways. From social and cultural movements to the entertainment industry, unlike their predecessors of the Silent Generation, this cohort was anything but silent.

One of the ways they were different from previous generations was their intelligence. The Flynn Effect describes a substantial increase in intelligence test scores over time. Researchers have continued to study this effect in the 21st century. However, it was first recognized in the 1980s when professors James R. Flynn and Richard Lynn examined data and discovered that intelligence scores significantly increased from the 1930s to the 1970s.

However, The Flynn Effect is not caused by increasing general intelligence. Instead, the effect is due to members of a generation becoming more adept at performing specific tasks, especially when it comes to cognitive abilities. This surge in intelligence scores is due to several factors, including better educational opportunities and rising literacy rates. The effect can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution, when formal education became the norm.

Education reform

At this time in history, there was a significant focus on education. Almost all developed nations had a goal of universal literacy. Before the Industrial Revolution, formal education was a luxury, and even after the Revolution, Secondary School was still considered a luxury. However, by the time Baby Boomers were in school, education became essential for a child's life.

The educators of the Silent Generation had a significant impact on education in the 1970s and 80s. Baby Boomers started their education when there was a strong sense of community in the country, unlike the previous generation during the Vietnam War. The first group of Baby Boomers entered college in the 1960s, a time of significant social and cultural reform.

After World War I, the purpose of education shifted from simply teaching students about social change to promote the emotional development of children and teens. But many criticized the idea of deemphasizing academic subjects, such as former Harvard President James B. Conant. He expressed these ideas in his 1959 book, The American High School Today.

In the Post-World War II era, experts recognized the importance of mathematics due to its usefulness during the war. After much examination, academic performance once again became an essential part of education in the United States. The youth desired to go to college in greater numbers due to specialized skills being needed more than ever. As a result, the number of college graduates in their 20s greatly increased after World War II. There were 2.6 million American students in higher learning institutions in 1950, and by 1970, that number had risen to 8.6 million.

Baby Boomers had a higher level of education than any other generation before them. Before the war, the United States was a leader in postsecondary education. But in the era of the Baby Boomers, over 80 percent of the generation graduated from high school, and over 25 percent hold at least a Bachelor's degree.

But Baby Boomers entering the workforce after graduation had a negative effect on many families. Due to the generation's population being so large, many members of the generation had to take any job they could find, even if they were overqualified for the job. These low wages led to many households needing two income streams to make ends meet.

Cold War

The Cold War was a time of significant political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, which began following World War II. Historians do not agree upon the time frame of the Cold War, but the period is typically considered to span from 1947 to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Even though there was no large-scale fighting between the U.S. and Soviet Union during this time, it was a time of great tension where it seemed like war was imminent. As a result, the NATO military alliance was formed in 1949 between the United States and its allies in case of a military attack from the Soviet Union. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, includes 30 states, 28 of which are in Europe.

The Baby Boomers living through the Cold War Era were familiar with the threat of war, even if many did not go off to war in their early adulthood like previous generations. Many families built bomb shelters in their backyard, and air raid drills were common in schools to prepare for the potential threat of nuclear attack. Although many previous generations knew the threat of war very well, the Baby Boomers were the first generation to experience the threat of nuclear attack looming over them throughout their childhood.

The period from 1979 to 1985 is referred to as the New Cold War. This name was based on tensions rising in the 1970s and 1980s.

Culture

Television and entertainment

In the 1950s, movie theaters were the place to be. It cost less than 50 cents to see a movie, and drive-in theaters were a popular entertainment spot for many families. However, theaters began to close as televisions became more popular in the homes. During that time, television shows such as Buffalo Bob and Clarabelle, Captain Kangaroo, Leave it to Beaver, and Lassie became popular.

Soap Operas, which originally became popular in the 1930s, made their way to television in the 1950s. This genre of television shows tended to deal with social issues and was characterized by cheap production and dramatic plots. The values and positions expressed in soap operas were typically progressive, especially when they dealt with social issues such as abortion, race, and intergenerational issues.

Some of the pastimes for kids growing up in this time were malt shops, community swimming pools, and clubs. The most popular clubs during the 50s and 60s were Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts were founded in the early 1910s, but they were popular clubs in the 50s.

After-school sports in junior high began in the 1950s as well. The American sitcom I Love Lucy was the most popular show in the United States for four out of the six series it aired on television. Airing from 1951 to 1957, it won five Emmy Awards, including an Emmy for Best Actress won by Lucille Ball. This show set the standard for situation comedies, otherwise known as sitcoms.

Music

Baby Boomers had an influential part in popular culture at the time. However, those who most significantly impacted the Baby Boomers were born right before this generation. Some of the major influences for the Boomers were The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.

Rock and roll became wildly popular during the 1950s and 1960s. Rock and roll, also referred to as rock 'n' roll, or rock & roll, was a style of music created in the 1950s and by the 1960s became the more modern style of what is called rock music.

The sound of rock and roll music, which was described as a combination of gospel-style music with rhythm and blues, came together in the form of Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley's music was an anthem for rebellion for many young Americans. By religious leaders, government officials, and certain groups of parents, this style of music was deemed to be "devil's music." However, Presley and other musicians like him turned the music world upside down with sensual undertones and provocative dance moves.

The music industry attempted to make the rock and roll music that was causing such an uproar cleaner than before by introducing less threatening artists such as Pat Boone or Frankie Avalon. But the rock and roll era had ended by the 1960s. Elvis Presley was inducted into the United States Army in 1958. Buddy Holly, a famous musician and another crucial part of the rock and roll era, died in a tragic plane crash in 1959, along with musicians Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson. This day was later referred to as "The Day the Music Died" after Don McLean's recollection of the day in his 1971 hit "American Pie."

Generational conflict

Baby Boomers are one of the more well-known social generations. But if you asked a Millennial or Gen Zer, they may be familiar with the Baby Boomers for a surprising reason. "OK, boomer," a catchphrase made popular by Generation Z, started as a meme but then revealed generational conflict that had developed between Millennials, Gen Zers, and Baby Boomers. The phrase, used widely on social media and now printed on merchandise, is meant to mock those in the Baby Boomer generation (aka Boomers.)

But the conflict towards Boomers isn’t simply meant to be superficial. Those who participate in the conflict claim the Baby Boomer Generation had an easier life and that many of the issues Millennials and Gen Zers are dealing with in early adulthood can be blamed on the Baby Boomers.

Gen Zers have also expressed they criticize the fixed mindset they claim many Baby Boomers have, especially those who tend to be more conservative on social and political issues.

The conflict can come from both sides, proven by a Newsweek article titled "OK, Millennial: Boomers are the Greatest Generation in History." This article's writer claims the opposite of what Gen Zers are saying. The writer claims the world is better off in the 2020s than ever, and the Baby Boomer Generation is responsible for that.

Social movements

Most Baby Boomers were entering their teenage years and young adulthood during the 1950s and 60s, which was a time of significant social reform. However, the 1960s were the time that defined the Baby Boomers due to the amount of change and their activism.

The counterculture of the 1960s is just one example of how culture changed during this time and how this generation pushed to change it. The cultural changes in the sixties, from the music to the hairstyles, greatly impacted the members of this generation. Depending on when a Baby Boomer was born, they were either in their teens, young adulthood, or formative years as children. How old a Baby Boomer was during the cultural shift of the 60s had a significant impact on how they turned out later in life.

The 60s were the beginning of the "hippies." The Hippy was a subculture formed in the 1960s and 70s which began on college campuses in the United States. Although this subculture had little interest in political movements, the group was created due to opposition to the Vietnam War. The group was primarily teens and young adults from the Baby Boomer Generation.

Sometimes called "flower children," they advocated for peace and non-violence, coining the phrase "Make love, not war." They typically follow vegetarian diets and have their unique fashion sense: long hair, long dresses for the women, and large rimless glasses. Hippies listened to folk and rock music and were inspired by Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, and similar musicians.

California was a popular place for hippies, as portrayed in a song sung by the musical group The Mamas and the Papas, which states, "If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair."

Other musicians were also associated with the Hippie movement, such as the Beatles. In the 1960s, Harvard Professor Timothy Leary said the phrase "Turn on, tune in, and drop out" to encourage people to expand their minds through the use of psychedelics. Likewise, members of The Beatles have spoken about how psychedelic drugs, connected with the hippie movement at the time, inspired their music.

Sexual Revolution

In May of 1960, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States approved the first contraceptive pill, known today simply as "the pill." Women in the country considered the pill to be liberating, and it made way for the sexual revolution of the 60s.

Those advocating for the sexual revolution wanted to break away from the morals of the 1940s and 1950s. Many considered their views about sexuality to be radical. The supporters of the sexual revolution wanted all types of sexuality, even those outside of marriage, to be celebrated.

Aside from the pill, another factor that led to the sexual revolution was improvements in modern medicine, especially when it comes to obstetrics. Women during this time had better access to proper medical care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. The Baby Boom Generation also played a significant role in this revolution due to their upbringing. Many baby-boom children grew up in safe neighborhoods with good schools and access to education and entertainment. The circumstances in which this generation grew up led to a cultural shift towards more permissive and, therefore, more progressive attitudes.

As the sexual revolution went on, divorce rates rose, and marriage rates fell. In the mid-1970s, the number of unmarried Americans nearly doubled from the rate in 1960. The sexual revolution also sought society to accept different forms of relationships, such as open marriages and swingers.

Civil Rights Movements

Many "late bloomers," or those born between 1956 and 1964, were activists during the Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s.

The American Civil Rights Movement was a fight for social justice led by numerous activists. Before World War II, many Black Americans worked as farmers, factory workers, or servants, all of which paid very little. They were also often discouraged from joining the military. Slavery was abolished after the Civil War in 1861, but this didn't mean discrimination ended. However, several events helped push the Civil Rights Movement forward.

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 after many Americans threatened to march for equal employment rights. This executive order opened up jobs in government, regardless of race or origin. Even though discrimination and, tragically, segregation was still happening in the military, many Black Americans fought bravely in World War II. President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 in 1948 to end discrimination in the military.

In 1955, Rosa Parks, a part of the Greatest Generation, refused to give up a seat on the bus to a white man who couldn't find a seat in the white section. When she refused, she was arrested. Baptist Minister Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led a group of community leaders to form the Montgomery Improvement Association or MIA. After this group started, Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the Civil Rights Movement.

The case of Brown vs. the Board of Education was a turning point in the movement when segregation in schools was made illegal in 1954. President Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law which allowed for federal prosecution for anyone who tried to prevent anyone from voting, regardless of race.

March on Washington

One of the most well-known events of the Civil Rights Movement was the March on Washington in 1963. Martin Luther King Jr. presented his famous "I Have a Dream" speech during this march. Over 200,000 people of all ages and races attended the march on that historic day.

This march was a protest in Washington D.C., meant to draw attention to the continued inequality many Black Americans faced at the time. A. Philip Randolph, one of the social activists leading the march, had previously planned a march before World War II to protest discrimination in the military and the exclusion from defense jobs. However, President Roosevelt met with Randolph before the event and agreed to sign Executive Order 8802.

Leading up to the March on Washington, nearly 25,000 people showed up at the Lincoln Memorial in 1957 to celebrate the third anniversary of Brown vs. the Board of Education. However, things were still difficult for those fighting for equality. In 1963, there were violent attacks on civil rights demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama. It was time for another march.

Randolph had been planning a march for jobs, and King was planning a march for freedom, so the two decided to combine their efforts.

Martin Luther King agreed to speak last at the march, and his initially planned speech was only four minutes long. But he spoke for over sixteen minutes as he passionately shared the dream he had for his children and all other children in the world.

Baby Boomers and the economy

Naturally, due to their size, the Baby Boomer Generation significantly impacted the United States economy. Throughout the years of the Baby Boom, 76 million babies were born in the United States. Born during a time of economic prosperity for many families, companies started targeting the children of the Baby Boomer Generation from a young age with their marketing techniques.

This rise in marketing, especially marketing targeting the children and youth at the time, led to a more consumerist culture. The impacts of the consumerist culture led to the cultural movement in the 60s. Those who participated in the anti-establishment cultural movements of the 60s frequently lived in communes. Instead of actively participating in political movements, they desired to change society by simply dropping out of it.

The Baby Boomer Generation’s Social Security taxes they paid throughout their working lives is what funded the retirement of their parents and grandparents from the Silent Generation and the Greatest Generation. The Social Security system was created in the United States in 1935 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act.

As of 2019, 56% of the personal net worth in the United States belongs to Baby Boomers. Even in their later years, they still contribute to and influence the economy. But even in their later years, there were still financial issues that Baby Boomers had to deal with. The Great Recession of the early 2000s, which was the most significant downturn of the economy since the Great Depression, affected the savings and retirement funds of many Baby Boomers.

Overview

The Baby Boomer Generation refers to those born between 1946 and 1964. This group is typically split into the "leading-edge baby boomers" and the "trailing-edge baby boomers." The leading-edge describes those who were born between 1946 and 1955. The trailing edge identifies those who were born between 1956 and 1964.

The Baby Boomers were the largest generation recorded in the United States until the Millennial Generation surpassed them. This generation got its name because they were born during the Post-World War II baby boom. As soldiers returned from the war and the G.I. Bill was passed, families were more financially stable and moved to the suburbs. The financial security allowed these young families to have more children, leading to the baby boom.

Generational conflict existed between the Baby Boomers and Millennials, and Generation Z. Members of the younger generations began to blame many of the country's financial and economic problems on the Baby Boomers. They even came up with a catchphrase, “OK, Boomer.” This phrase was meant to be a criticism of the fixed mindset of the older generations. The phrase became so popular, Generation Z started putting it on t-shirts.

Most Americans who fall within the Baby Boomer Generation lived responsible lives. They had families, paid taxes, and raised the next generation. The first group of Baby Boomers was eligible to retire in 2012.

The Baby Boomers pushed social and cultural boundaries in many ways, from the Civil Rights Movement to the Counterculture movement of the 60s. By the time most Baby Boomers had come of age, there was a television in every household, and Rock n Roll music became their anthem.

1. Bill Gates (b. 1955): Co-founder of Microsoft, Gates played a significant role in the revolution of personal computing and is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution.

2. Steve Jobs (1955-2011): As the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc., Jobs was a pioneer of the personal computer era and a significant figure in the development of modern technology.

3. Oprah Winfrey (b. 1954): An American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist, Winfrey is best known for her talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and is a major figure in media and philanthropy.