Author Date

2024-04-10

Degree Name

BA

Department

History

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Defense Date

2024-03-04

Publication Date

2024-04-10

First Faculty Advisor

Dr. Rebecca de Schweinitz

First Faculty Reader

Sheree Bench

Honors Coordinator

Dr. Daren Ray

Keywords

girlhood, African American, race in America, children's literature, nineteenth century, feminism

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of African American girls in creating and dismantling nineteenth-century race myths through a comparison of publications in black and white authored presses. Fictional stories published in St. Nicholas, the most popular turn-of-the-century children’s magazine, reveal that white authors, specifically Southern women, intentionally crafted narratives demeaning African American girls to cement a national racial hierarchy. Their work indoctrinated white children in racism and undermined African American legitimacy in the decades following the Civil War and Reconstruction. Concurrently, black authors recognized these attacks and in their press explored the lived experiences of African American girls to counter harmful narratives and instill pride in African American children. This work is part of a movement to center children, specifically young black girls, in discussions of the African American liberation movement. Concerns over girls’ education and career opportunities held substantial weight in campaigns for increased black rights in the decades between Reconstruction and Brown vs. Board of Education. This work illustrates cultural opposition facing black girls specifically, and the ways their community united to help them overcome and endure societal odds.

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