An American Girl Anthology: The Lower East Side

Did you know that there is an American Girl Doll with roots on the Jewish Lower East Side?

Join the Museum at Eldridge Street and Lilith on Zoom, Tuesday, May 27 at 6pm ET, to explore the Lower East Side as portrayed in the stories of original American Girl character Rebecca Rubin, discussed by contributors (and Lilith writer) Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler and KC Hysmith in their forthcoming collection An American Girl Anthology. This talk will compare and contrast American Girl’s portrayal of Jewish life at the turn of the century with Eldridge Street’s history—as well as connecting Rebecca’s story to the landmarks of the neighborhood (including the Eldridge Street Synagogue itself!).

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Attendees will also hear from anthology contributor and folklorist Mackenzie Kwok about Chinese American identity as negotiated and (mis)represented by American Girl and Pleasant Company—and how American Girl’s idealized versions of immigrant girlhood have shaped our views of these communities.

This talk will be wide-ranging, thoughtful, fun and accessible. Come ready to learn:

• How the author of the Rebecca Rubin books incorporates Yiddish into the story
• What group coined the term “Asian American,” and why
• What changes have been made over time to “ethnicize” (and de-ethnicize) the facial molds of American Girl Dolls depicting recent immigrants
• How American Girl Doll Ivy Ling’s story, which takes place in San Francisco’s Chinatown, can shed light on the unique ways American Chinatown communities shape a neighborhood like New York’s Lower East Side

Please see the Zoom link in your order confirmation email. This program is entirely virtual.

Registration for this Zoom program is pay-what-you-wish. The following are suggested amounts for each ticket type:
Adults $12
Seniors $10
Students $8