Final answer:
Rock and Roll emerged in the 1950s, forging a new American genre with deep roots in African American rhythm and blues. It helped blur racial lines and advance social integration by bringing black and white artists and audiences together, further influenced by the Brown v. Board of Education ruling and promoted through television.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rock and Roll emerged in the 1950s, marking the beginning of a new and distinctly American musical genre. This new sound was the result of multiple influences, including traditional rhythm and blues, and it initially found its voice through African American artists. Artists such as Little Richard, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley were pioneers who brought rock and roll to extraordinary levels of popularity. This music played a significant role in blurring racial lines and challenging segregation, as both black and white artists were signed to the same record labels, played on the same radio stations, and were bought by the same youth-driven audiences.
Indeed, the popularity of rock and roll among teenagers became a driving force in the eventual desegregation of American society. It was through rock and roll that many suburban white youths first came into contact with African American culture, thereby beginning to break down the prevailing prejudices of the time. This cultural exchange advanced somewhat as a result of the landmark Brown v. Bd. of Education of Topeka Kansas Supreme Court ruling in 1954, which decreed that segregation was unconstitutional. Later, television programs like The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand further facilitated the intermingling of young audiences from different races.