The 1950s were a decade of change, both socially and in the world of technology. The 50s were known as the “Golden” era. At the beginning of this era barely half of all Americans owned a television set but by the end more than 90% of homes had a television set. When many think of this “Golden” era they think of baby boomers, and the end of World War II. With that came an incredible economic boom, this was when consumerism became an intricate part of America’s economy. Major inventions and discoveries were almost daily events, and previously ignored technology was improved and made more commercially applicable (http://www.bookrags.com). Socially during this time we began to see the civil rights movement, and the awareness of equality. This gave women more of a chance to be seen and heard as well as taken seriously.
My paper is going to focus on Rose Totino, an Italian American, not only was she an inventor but also a pioneer as a woman in the business world. There were many Italian American inventors from that time. Italians began largely immigrating to America in the late 1800s. From 1876-1924 more than 4.5 million Italians arrived in the US. Many of these Italian-Americans are behind the numerous inventions and name brands we take for granted today. Chef Boyardee, the man behind the nation’s leading brand of spaghetti sauce and pasta, whose real name was Ettore Boiardi, was an Italian immigrant. After opening his own restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio in 1924 Boiardi began selling his products for his customers to take home. He eventually became the largest supplier of rations for the US and allied forces in World War II. Even the American favorite, the Big Mac, was invented in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by an Italian-American (http://www.everyculture.com).
Italians brought their family centered culture to the US. Like some of those before her, Rose Totino’s story begins in the kitchen. This paper will focus on her story and how her invention of frozen pizza crust contributed to our culture and helped Rose Totino enter the world of business, eventually becoming the first woman to be Vise President of Pillsbury.
