Final answer:
During the 50s and 60s, rhythm and blues and rock and roll symbolized youth rebellion and cultural change, challenging societal norms, blurring racial lines, and contributing to social movements including the end of segregation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1950s and 60s, rhythm and blues (R&B) and its derivative rock and roll were emblematic of significant cultural and social shifts. The music, infusing elements of gospel, blues, jazz, and country, provided a vehicle for expression and rebellion among the youth. Artists like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Jackie Brantson with Ike Turner’s band are crucial in its development. This was a time when new technologies like the '45' single record, jukeboxes, and the electric guitar propelled R&B and rock and roll across racial divides and into the mainstream.
The genre was symbolically significant because it challenged societal norms, offering an avenue for young people to declare their independence from the more oppressive aspects of middle-class society. Furthermore, it played a role in blurring racial lines, as both black and white teenagers enjoyed the music, which often featured motifs of young love and freedom. Acts like Elvis Presley ushered in a broader appeal, and despite attempts to ban this 'black' music, it continued to gain traction, eventually contributing to a cultural shift towards the end of racial segregation.
By the end of the 1960s, acts like The Beatles and the landmark event Woodstock showcased the music's lasting influence and its connection to wider movements of social change and rebellion against the status quo.