From the Confederacy to the White House: How Southern beauty traditions went MAGA

About this episode

The episode explores the connections between Southern beauty traditions and contemporary aesthetics, particularly in relation to politics and nostalgia.

What do the women in Bama Rush, beauty pageants and President Trump's orbit have in common? Their look traces back to the beauty traditions of the white, antebellum South. We talk to Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd, author Southern Beauty: Race, Ritual and Memory in the Modern South, about how nostalgia for a Southern past influences the aesthetics of today. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guest: Elizabeth Bronwyn Boyd

Topics covered

• beauty traditions
• Southern culture
• nostalgia
• race
• politics

Keywords

• Bama Rush
• beauty pageants
• Trump's orbit
• antebellum South
• Southern past

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Southern Beauty: Race, Ritual and Memory in the Modern South

Places: Confederacy, South

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