Amazons in America : Matriarchs, Utopians, and Wonder Women in U.S. Popular Culture

With this remarkable study, historian Keira V. Williams shows how fictional matriarchies—produced for specific audiences in successive eras and across multiple media—constitute prescriptive, solution-oriented thought experiments directed at contemporary social issues. In the process, Amazons in America uncovers a rich tradition of matriarchal popular culture in the United States. Beginning with late-nineteenth-century anthropological studies, which theorized a universal prehistoric matriarchy, Williams explores how representations of women-centered societies reveal changing ideas of gender and power over the course of the twentieth century and into the present day. She examines a deep archive of cultural artifacts, both familiar and obscure, including L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz series, Progressive-era fiction like Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s utopian novel Herland, the original 1940s Wonder Woman comics, midcentury films featuring nuclear families, and feminist science fiction novels from the 1970s that invented prehistoric and futuristic matriarchal societies. While such texts have, at times, served as sites of feminist theory, Williams unpacks their cyclical nature and, in doing so, pinpoints some of the premises that have historically hindered gender equality in the United States. Williams also delves into popular works from the twenty-first century, such as Tyler Perry’s Madea franchise and DC Comics/Warner Bros.’ globally successful film Wonder Woman, which attest to the ongoing presence of matriarchal ideas and their capacity for combating patriarchy and white nationalism with visions of rebellion and liberation. Amazons in America provides an indispensable critique of how anxieties and fantasies about women in power are culturally expressed, ultimately informing a broader discussion about how to nurture a stable, equitable society. Amazons in America' uncovers the rich tradition of matriarchal popular culture in the United States. Beginning with anthropological studies from the late nineteenth century, which theorized a universal prehistoric past in which women ruled, cultural historian Keira V. Williams explores how representations of matriarchies, or women-centered societies, reveal changing ideas of gender and power over the course of the twentieth century and into the present day. She examines a deep archive of cultural texts, both familiar and obscure, including L. Frank Baum?s 'The Wizard of Oz' series (1900Ư?1920), sociological fiction from the Progressive era like Charlotte Perkins Gilman?s utopian novel 'Herland' (1915), the original 1940s 'Wonder Woman' comics, mid-century television shows about harmonious nuclear families that calmed fears of the so-called?suburban matriarchy,? and feminist science fiction novels from the 1970s that invented matriarchal prehistoric and futuristic societies. Popular twenty-first century works like Tyler Perry?s Madea franchise and DC Comics/Warner Bros.? globally successful 'Wonder Woman' film attest to the ongoing presence of matriarchal ideas and their capacity for combating patriarchy and white nationalism with visions of rebellion and liberation. 'Amazons in America 'shows how fictional matriarchies?produced for specific audiences in successive eras and across multiple media?constitute prescriptive, solution-oriented thought experiments directed at contemporary social issues Amazons in America uncovers the rich tradition of matriarchal popular culture in the United States. Beginning with anthropological studies from the late nineteenth century, which theorized a universal prehistoric past in which women ruled, cultural historian Keira V. Williams explores how representations of matriarchies, or women-centered societies, reveal changing ideas of gender and power over the course of the twentieth century and into the present day. She examines a deep archive of cultural texts, both familiar and obscure, including L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz series (1900­-1920), sociological fiction from the Progressive era like Charlotte Perkins Gilman's utopian novel Herland (1915), the original 1940s Wonder Woman comics, mid-century television shows about harmonious nuclear families that calmed fears of the so-called "suburban matriarchy," and feminist science fiction novels from the 1970s that invented matriarchal prehistoric and futuristic societies. Popular twenty-first century works like Tyler Perry's Madea franchise and DC Comics/Warner Bros.' globally successful Wonder Woman film attest to the ongoing presence of matriarchal ideas and their capacity for combating patriarchy and white nationalism with visions of rebellion and liberation. Amazons in America shows how fictional matriarchies--produced for specific audiences in successive eras and across multiple media--constitute prescriptive, solution-oriented thought experiments directed at contemporary social issues Introduction: the multiple meanings of matriarchies in American history -- Gynecocracy in the gilded age: the intellectual and historical foundations of American matriarchalism -- Mother-rule in the modern world: Victorian feminist matriarchalism -- White queens and African amazons: imperial matriarchalism at the Chicago World's Fair -- Witches, wizards, and women of cast iron: American matriarchalism goes mainstream -- Like coming home to mother: progressive era matriarchalism -- The amazing amazon: Wonder Woman's matriarchalist superheroics -- Vipers and momarchies: mid-century antimatriarchalism -- Goddesses, earth mothers, and female men: the matriarchies of the women's liberation movement -- Mammies, matriarchs, and welfare queens: racist matriarchalism -- Epilogue: Madeas and the manosphere: American matriarchalism in the early twenty-first century