America's early women celebrities: the famous and scorned from Martha Washington to silent film star Mary Fuller

Abstract

""Well before the existence of television and the internet, there were women that sought fame, flirted with infamy, and actively engaged with their fan base. In today's pop culture-filled world with figures like Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift, it can be hard to understand what the lives of these women were like. In this pre-suffragette world, women who attracted attention were considered scandalous and it was largely uncommon for women to become celebrities. The women who rose to fame in these times had to put up with societal standards for women on top of the lack of privacy and free speech.This book provides us with the details and context to get to know the women who captured America's heart in the 19th century. Rather than looking at influential women who strictly avoided notoriety, it covers the lives of 18 celebrities like Lydia Maria Child, Sojourner Truth, and Jane Addams."-Provided by publisher"--