One of the most important forces in American culture, rock and roll emerged in the early 1950s as the merger of several styles of black popular music and white popular music, some reaching back into the nineteenth century and before. The two most important of these styles were black rhythm and blues (R&B; see entry under 1940s—Music in volume 3) music and white country music (see entry under 1940s—Music in volume 3). When they came together in the early 1950s, rock and roll was born. From its beginnings, however, rock and roll was more than just music—it was an attitude of youthful rebellion that expressed itself in music, fashion, art, film, and in many other aspects of American culture. Few forms of popular culture have been as influential.

Although the origins of rock and roll go back into the distant past well...