Did you know August 17 is Baby Boomer Recognition Day? Perhaps I noticed this dubious distinction because I have a milestone birthday in less than 30 days.
When I turned 60, a fabulous friend gave me a book titled Now You’re 60! by Brandon Crose. A notation in the keepsake refers to Boomers as America’s “T.V. Generation,” which has seen the most dramatic changes in politics and culture of any generation. So true!
Of course, we remember a time before personal computers, the technology explosion with cell phones, and all the social media platforms. We’ll never forget the assassinations of J.F.K. or M.L.K. or the first human-crewed mission to the moon.
There’s even a website titled Boomer’s Life devoted to the generation born between 1946 and 1965. The term baby boom refers to a noticeable increase in the birth rate. The post-World War II population increase was described as a “boom” by various newspaper reporters.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 77.3 million Boomers comprised the United States population as of July 2008.
Boomer’s Life says it’s one of the most popular sites, sharing our music, people, interests, and health concerns. I spied an article worth reading on Vitamin D and Rejuvenation. The article mentions emerging studies showing Vitamin D seems to be a significant contributor to determining how long we live.
I want to share some of my Black History growing up in Philadelphia. When we think of black history, there’s lots of documentation with stories of slavery, plantations, and oppression. But you rarely hear or read about Black working-class families’ trips to the beach or the mountains.
Most summers, my family took day trips to Atlantic City, New Jersey, specifically to historic Chicken Bone Beach. During segregation, this shore was designated exclusively as the African American section, which remained segregated until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed.
When I was a little older, my paternal grandmother would rent a house in Atlantic City. We usually didn’t spend time on the beach but on the world-famous Boardwalk, seeing shows and riding the amusements at the Steel Pier. It’s worth noting that the Atlantic City Boardwalk, the first Boardwalk in the United States, opened on June 26, 1870.
Since I’m going down Memory Lane, How about this? My mother signed me up for the Gimbel’s Department Store Charm School for teenage girls at their Cheltenham location. I attended classes on Saturday mornings even though I hated getting up early; however, all these years later, those lessons still served me well.
I didn’t know August 17 was Baby Boomer recognition day; it’s an excellent segue gearing up for my milestone birthday. Don’t we love taking a nostalgic look back? I know I do.
As always, thank you for being ready. Stop the spread, wear a mask, and social distance.
