Gender and race in antebellum popular culture

Resource Information

The work Gender and race in antebellum popular culture represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in European University Institute. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Gender and race in antebellum popular culture

Statement of responsibility

Sarah N. Roth

Title variation

Gender & Race in Antebellum Popular Culture

Creator

• Roth, Sarah N., (Sarah Nelson), 1972-

Subject

• African American men in literature
• African Americans in popular culture -- History -- 19th century
• Masculinity in literature
• Popular culture -- United States -- History -- 19th century
• African American men -- Public opinion | History -- 19th century
• Slavery in literature
• United States -- Intellectual life -- 19th century
• United States -- Race relations | History -- 19th century
• Women, White -- United States -- Attitudes | History -- 19th century
• Race in literature

Language

eng

Summary

In the decades leading to the Civil War, popular conceptions of African American men shifted dramatically. The savage slave featured in 1830s' novels and stories gave way by the 1850s to the less-threatening humble black martyr. This radical reshaping of black masculinity in American culture occurred at the same time that the reading and writing of popular narratives were emerging as largely feminine enterprises. In a society where women wielded little official power, white female authors exalted white femininity, using narrative forms such as autobiographies, novels, short stories, visual images, and plays, by stressing differences that made white women appear superior to male slaves. This book argues that white women, as creators and consumers of popular culture media, played a pivotal role in the demasculinization of black men during the antebellum period, and consequently had a vital impact on the political landscape of antebellum and Civil War-era America through their powerful influence on popular culture.--

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

UkCbUP

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Series statement

Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks