Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast Whiskerology: the meaning of hair in colonial America
Apr 24, 2025
Join historian Sarah Gold McBride as she unpacks the fascinating cultural significance of hair in 19th century America. Explore how hair thickness, color, and style were used to judge race and gender. Delve into beards as symbols of masculinity and their connection to citizenship. Discover the cultural and religious importance of long hair for women, and how male hairstyles evolved, reflecting societal shifts. McBride also reveals the surprising link between hair color and perceptions of criminality during urban growth.
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Hair as Biological Identity
- In the 19th century, hair was seen as a biological part of the body, not just style or decoration.
- Hair signified core truths about a person's biological and social identity, including race and gender.
Beards Symbolize Power
- Beards became a symbol of white masculinity and political power in 19th century America.
- From Lincoln's election (1860) until early 20th century, nearly all US presidents had facial hair as a sign of masculinity.
Madame Clefulia's Sensation
- Madame Clefulia was the first famous 19th century bearded lady, performing with P.T. Barnum.
- Her presence sparked a new freak show archetype symbolizing women challenging social norms.
