Assignment

For this portfolio assignment, you are required to research and analyze a TV program that ran between 1955 and 1965.To successfully complete this essay, you will need to answer the following questions: What is the background of this show? Explain what years it was on TV, describe the channel it aired on, the main characters, setting, etc.. What social issues and historical events were taking place at the time the show was being broadcast? Did these issues affect the television show in any way? Did the television show make an impact on popular culture? Your thesis for the essay should attempt to answer this question: Explain the cultural relevance of the show, given the information gathered from the show's background, and cultural history. How can television act as a reflection of the social, political, and cultural current events? This essay should be 2-3 pages, in APA style, utilizing the college's library resources. Please include at least one scholarly resource as a minimum in your essay.

Examples:

The Civil Rights Movement

Sidney Poitier was a famous Hollywood actor during the 1960's, and was the first black man to win an Oscar for his role in 1963's "Lillies of the Field". 1967's critically acclaimed film, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" starred Poitier as a young black man who was marrying a white woman, and shows the troubles they both faced when introducing each other to their families.

The Civil Rights Movement

During the 1960's, African American actors were finally beginning to take center stage on television, and in Hollywood. Bill Cosby was a rising star in 1965, when he became the costar of the hit TV show, "I Spy". Many naysayers said at the time that Cosby would never make it as a star. Cosby went on to be one of the most successful actors, comedians, and producers for television in American popular history. He is also an activist for the black community, and is a source of pride and respect for American popular culture.