“Forget Me Never”: The Reformation of Elvis Presley As the era of war and depression was coming to an end, a new America was on the rise. Women began to take their place in the role of housewife while teenagers were careless about their actions. Since the Great Depression had ended, the economy was booming and all worries about money had disappeared. Race and segregation were still an issue and becoming increasingly controversial. African Americans fought for desegregation, especially in schools, as in Board v Brown. Although the new era brought some social changes, many noted changes came from a man known as "The King of Rock and Roll": Elvis Presley. With market potential in mind, Sam Phillips of Sun Records was looking for an artist who would appeal to both whites and blacks. He found just what he was looking for in Elvis, a man with a white face and a black sound. Phillips managed to find an artist that appealed to the broadest consumer base; white society. Presley's music would go on to revolutionize future genres along with the people themselves. Elvis Presley not only influenced fashion, attitude, music, and views on race in the 1950s, but he also had a profound influence on these aspects that can still be seen in today's society. Even though Elvis Presley didn't create rock and roll, he was the driving force behind it. The term “Rock and Roll” was used to describe the new music that was taking shape. It was first used by a disc jockey named Alan Freed in Cleveland, Ohio. This musical genre was influenced by country, gospel, rhythm and blues music (Waltos, Goodrich and DiSalvo). Record producers wanted a white artist who could make African American music as they saw a lot... middle of paper... was ahead of the curve of social change and opened many doors previously closed to minorities. artists” (Bachelor). Elvis helped open people's minds to other cultures through his integrated music (Meisenheimer). Elvis may not have completely solved segregation, but he had a major influence on it. Although Elvis Presley had an influence on attitudes, fashion, music, and views on race in the 1950s, he would continue to influence these same aspects into the future. generations. Presley was a simple man who grew up in an era full of hatred, depression and war. When no child dared talk back to their parents, Elvis showed youthful rebellion and when segregation was a problem, he showed white teenagers that African Americans were human just like them. Even though older generations continued to show their hatred for Elvis Presley, he still continued to rock.