Written by Abigail Fine, a doctoral candidate from Queen Mary University of London.
Highlighted picture by Sam Nystrom Costales.
Samanthas were indeed quite unique, and each of the girls, Samantha, Charlotte, Miranda, and Carrie, had their own distinct personalities, just like the women in Sex and the City. These dolls served as avatars and symbols, representing different time periods in their six books, where each doll came with their own story. Molly, a girl during World War II, Samantha, from the Edwardian era, and Kirsten, an early nineteenth-century Swedish immigrant, were the three dolls associated with different periods in American history. AG, which stands for American Girl, often shortened to AG, introduced these collections of books and dolls when the Pleasant Company launched the American Girl brand in 1986.
In 1998, AG was acquired from founder Pleasant Rowland by Mattel for $700 million. Under Mattel, the franchise currently encompasses over seventeen historical dolls with their books and accessories, in addition to annual Girl of Today dolls and their narratives, as well as Truly Me dolls that customers can personalize. Bitty Baby and WellieWishers are also now part of the brand, catering to younger children. AG also creates movies, publishes a magazine, offers guidance books on subjects such as adolescence and harassment, and operates interactive retail stores in various prominent U.S. Cities.
4. “Expressing gratitude, Elizabeth,” she uttered courteously with a distinct, powerful tone. “I will decline the offer of tea,” Felicity inverted her teacup onto the saucer and positioned her spoon across it. However, as Felicity observes significant events unfold and witnesses massive demonstrations in the colonies, she also realizes that her voice holds significance even in small actions: in her second publication, Felicity Learns a Lesson, Felicity joins the colonists’ protest against the tax on tea by abstaining from drinking it during her etiquette class, defying peer pressure. As Felicity’s family desires independence from the British monarchy, while her closest friend’s family remains loyalists; eventually, the girls are separated by the war when her friend’s family returns to live in England. Throughout the series of six books, Felicity grapples with the societal limitations imposed on her as a result of her gender (as opposed to being male), and she develops a heightened political awareness as the unrest in the colonies begins to impact her daily life. Carolina Acosta-Alzuru and Elizabeth P. Lester Roushanzamir highlight that Felicity’s personal journey mirrors the national trajectory: they state, “Felicity consistently defies [eighteenth-century] societal norms. Her acts of rebellion are directly linked to the colonies’ fight for independence.” In 1991, AG introduced Felicity Merriman, a nine-year-old girl residing in Williamsburg, Virginia during the mid-1770s on the brink of the American Revolution.
“That the Future May Learn from the Past,” CW currently defines its mission. Additionally, it served as the largest historical museum in the United States by the 1990s. With the emergence of automobiles, the city became a popular tourist spot, and in the late 1920s, Colonial Williamsburg (hereafter CW) was established when John D. Rockefeller Jr. Became interested in the town and decided to restore it to its eighteenth-century state. This restoration made it possible for children in the mid-1990s to experience Felicity’s world, which continues to function as a historical museum. By 1991, Williamsburg had embraced the twentieth-century and had progressed over time, unlike the other dolls whose stories were either fictional (like Molly’s hometown of Jefferson, Illinois) or were set much later in the twentieth-century.
The children were given a tour, like a school workbook or journal, with prompts to write about their full experiences and information about society in the eighteenth century. In addition, they were also given Children books that provided information about the time period. During the tour, Children Manderley decided whether they wanted to protest, show loyalty by signaling with a crown, or drink British tea like Felicity does. Miss Felicity, their teacher, played the role of interpreter and served tea in the proper way, giving a lesson on the proper way to drink tea. The tour also included lessons on dance and embroidery, allowing the children to experience life as a child in the eighteenth-century and walk in Felicity’s footsteps. The tour was specifically aimed at engaging children in the historical site. It was launched in 1997 as the ‘Felicity’s Tour’ package, developed by the Pleasant Company in collaboration with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Sandy Bradshaw, an employee of Colonial Williamsburg, worked with American Girl (AG) to design accessories and clothing for Felicity. Valerie Tripp, the author of Felicity’s books, and Rowland Pleasant, the founder of AG, worked closely with Colonial Williamsburg and had Felicity in mind when designing the tour.
An excellent article has been written by Aisha Harris on the complicated legacy of the Addy doll books for both White and Black Americans. Introduced in 1993 as part of the American Girl collection, Addy, who is ignored by Walker, is not the only important topic in this conversation. Although largely ignored, the fact that Felicity’s books explicitly refer to enslavement is a difficult and sensitive topic. The “Looking Back” section at the end of the books refers to “servants,” but Marcus and Rose are actually enslaved people owned by Felicity’s family. It is important not to completely elide this topic in the books. Unfortunately, the early history of Black enslavement in the colonies and the crucial component it played in Williamsburg’s history is almost entirely left out, making this tour less educational and enjoyable.
The 18th-century teacher, Wager Ann, explores the lives of enslaved and free children, including Queen Lucy Loquacious, in Williamsburg. She runs programs that focus on schooling for both enslaved and free children while also serving as an interpreter. The programs are aimed at children, teenagers, and even adults, reflecting a shift in the historical presentation seen at events. This shift is considered “woke” by many, although conservative activists have attempted to use the history of CW as a justification for their conservative values. As early as 2010, Tea Party activists wanted CW to be a bastion of white nationalism and originalist constitutionalism, much to the chagrin of many conservative Americans. However, the museum’s approach to history has become less nationalistic and sycophantic in the past twenty-five years, reflecting a more nuanced and complicated understanding of the present. Today, CW’s interpretation of American Black history is robust, with a division led by Black interpreters. The museum is now comprised of 12 “American Black” interpreters and the overall approach to history has become more inclusive.
The idea that all people deserve equal rights is encompassed by a multitude of histories, languages, and ethnicities, which make up the diverse range of “American” stories. However, Diversity does not extend the measure of privilege and wealth to all primary AG characters, regardless of their socio-economic class. It is important to note that diversity is not only limited to ethnicity, as Roushanzamir and Alcosta-Azuru highlight. This place, AG, strives to be progressive and diverse, but it still has its idiosyncrasies and problems. Almost without exception, AG seeks to be a place where diversity is embraced.
The individuals who are currently educating children (and adults) about the nation’s history play a crucial role in shaping the future. Even before their employment at CW, these individuals read the same books during their own childhood, imitating the covers of Felicity’s six books – these books are the subject of the article that Thornberry elaborates on. “Politics and war, which are far more perplexing than they initially appear,” Thornberry explained, “are significant aspects of the adult world.” Thornberry further explained, “As a young girl, I was exposed to numerous instances and topics that made me think beyond the superficial aspects of Williamsburg, which serve as the basis for our daily discussions. Felicity’s story touches upon many of these themes and is written by a CW interpreter, making it a significant part of our historical legacy that resonates through the AG’s blog, ‘Are We Making History Now?'” This realization highlights how the ethos of CW is transmitted through generations.
On June 23rd and June 19th, American Girl memes are going viral on the internet.
AG released a new doll, Claudie Wells, in September 2022, who is a Black girl living in Harlem during the Renaissance era of the 1920s. Claudie’s books, penned by best-selling Brit author Bennett Black, celebrate the artistic achievements of Black people and the history of Harlem. AG also released newer books, including Melody Ellison’s Civil Rights era books, giving children dolls and books that teach them about the choices that have an impact on everyone’s voice. Although AG’s power sales no longer boast the heyday of the 1990s, it remains a popular brand in the USA. The “Generation” that learned early on the importance of books and the voices they matter could make an effect on history, including the “so-called” Felicity.
Just like Felicity, people who grew up inspired by AG still hope to look to their childhood stories in more community-driven and intersectional ways, as they continue to fight for human rights in the United States – a nation that became their own.
Abigail Fine is a PhD researcher at Mary Queen University in London. Her studies revolve around fashion and the theory of adaptation, particularly in the areas of fairy tales, YA literature, and children’s literature. Her PhD thesis focuses on the sartorial presentation and embodiment of the fairy godmother in adaptations of ‘Cinderella’ in the twenty-first and twentieth centuries. She is a lifelong fan of the Muppets, Disney movies, and American Girl dolls. Abigail is also a huge history nerd, especially when it comes to the eighteenth century and Doctor Who. This post was originally part of a paper she presented at the ‘Colloquium Heritage and Children’ held at the University of Oxford in July 2022, as part of TORCH/Oxford. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @onceuponafine.