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

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.

The Illuminati began as a secret society with Enlightenment ideals. Its legacy has since taken on a life of its own.

Here's how a prayer became part of the playbook.

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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.

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When Zadock Dederick unveiled a mechanical man, the press called him a 'new Frankenstein.'

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