What It Means That Ellie Kemper Was Queen of the “Racist” Veiled Prophet Ball

The social rituals of the white elite of St. Louis are historically difficult to separate from the rituals of white supremacy, as a social media blowup involving the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actress showed this week.

It’s Easy to Dismiss Debutante Balls, But Their History Can Help Us Understand Women’s Lives

by Kristen Richardson

The debutante ritual flourished roughly from 1780 to 1914—beginning with the first debutante ball in London and ending with the outbreak of World War I.