"George Washington's Hair" on C-SPAN

This video on C-SPAN titled "George Washington's Hair," featuring author Keith Beutler, explores the fascination with George Washington's hair preserved in museums and archives, shedding light on how early Americans remembered the founders and the role of relics in patriotic memory. Keith Beutler, a history professor, discusses the significance of locks of Washington's hair and their distribution across the United States, highlighting the connection between material relics and patriotic memory in the early Republic. He delves into the science of the time, including physiognomy and phrenology, to explain the era's belief in material bases of memory and character. The talk also covers the democratization of memory in the 19th century, shifting the focus from elite founders to ordinary individuals, including African American patriots, reflecting broader changes in American society and memory culture. Beutler's research, over two decades of work, uncovers the extensive provenance of Washington's hair, touching on DNA attempts for authentication and the historical significance of these relics in understanding early American identity and memory practices.