Rock and roll is a musical style with roots dating back to the 1800s. It is composed of jazz, blues, folk, country, and rhythm and blues. The contribution of rhythm and blues to rock originates from African-American culture (??). Artists such as Chuck Berry, Ray Charles and Little Richard contributed to the formation of rock and roll music. The generation that was strongly influenced by this new sound was the booming population that emerged after the end of the Second World War. Black and white teenagers loved every aspect of rock and roll and listened to the music together at concerts organized by Alan Freed. These young teenagers played an important role in the desegregation movements of the 1960s and learned a lot of information from their folk icons Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. This new form of music gave them new freedom, thoughts and expression. Middle-aged and older adults would say that the creation and evolution of rock and roll corrupted their children or the young people they saw on the streets. Many believed that rock and roll did not corrupt young people, but revolutionized them. Rock and roll desegregated African American and white youth, gave teenagers a new way to express themselves, and created a new way for young people to get involved in social or political causes. In the 1950s rock and roll was taking shape and the fight for desegregation was beginning. In 1952, World War II ended, and two years after the war the Supreme Court decided to desegregate schools in the United States (p. 24). The Supreme Court case was known as Brown vs. Board of Education. This court case greatly affected the emerging teenage population known as the “baby boomers.” After World War II there was a post-war “baby boom”… middle of paper… going to Alan Freed concerts which featured integrated performers and audiences. The styles composed by many artists have given teenagers a way to express and define themselves. Finally, rock and roll was a source of news for teenagers. Popular songs included lyrics about events happening at the time, and the songs protested the events or gave listeners a way to feel safe. Rock and roll is part of the history of the United States. Without it today we could still be a desegregated society, otherwise teenagers wouldn't know how to relate to music or express themselves. Rock and roll had a broad impact on teenagers and the evolution of society because the baby boomer population played a role in creating the world we know today. There are downsides to every new invention, but the impact of rock and roll has had an overall positive effect on teenagers who grew up listening to it.