Betsy Golden Kellem
Betsy Golden Kellem is an entertainment scholar, regional Emmy-winning public historian and author of Jumping Through Hoops: Performing Gender in the Nineteenth Century Circus.
Latest from this author
Legend has it that even Andrew Jackson came to investigate the Bell family’s haunting.
The Dark Knight’s most notorious foes have some surprising cultural roots.
Daniel David Palmer, creator of chiropractic, claimed the core principles of spinal adjustment were delivered to him during a séance.
John Steinbeck drew on the biblical tale extensively when writing his 1952 classic novel.
The infamous rhyme misrepresents several details about the Borden murders.
The Illuminati began as a secret society with Enlightenment ideals. Its legacy has since taken on a life of its own.
Here's why the world's most famous escape artist became a global sensation.
These legendary clubs influenced the sound, style and culture of America.
What began as a series of children's novels grew into one of America's most enduring cultural touchstones.
Here's how a prayer became part of the playbook.
Emily Brontë’s sole novel shocked readers—and still does.
The Cottingley Fairy photographs convinced people the mythical creatures were real, including the creator of Sherlock Holmes.
When singing rats and bears became beloved mascots of ’80s and '90s childhoods.
This comfort food classic began as a battlefield remedy.
When Zadock Dederick unveiled a mechanical man, the press called him a 'new Frankenstein.'
