An American Political History of the Yarmulke

• In Event: Orthodoxy and Zionism in Israel and America

Abstract

This paper examines three phases of the use /role of the yarmulke in American political history: Phase 1 (from the end of the 19th century to the present) examines changes in the pattern of single-use yarmulke wearing by non-Jewish (and Jewish) politicians, beginning with use at specifically Jewish events before uniformly Jewish audiences located in cities with large Jewish populations, but then spreading to locations (local and national) presumed or perceived to be of Jewish significance regardless of the religious nature of the event, location, or demographics of the audience; Phase 2 (from the 1960s to the present) examines the yarmulke as an object of American political debate, from the Civil Rights Era to recent debates over religious expression, immigration, and cultural pluralism in Europe and the United States; Phase 3 (from 2000 to the present) examines the yarmulke as political accoutrement, an item that—along with campaign buttons, bumper stickers, and signs—has come to be used by political campaigns (or their supporters) to promote particular candidates (most of whom are not Jews). Each of these phases is examined against its historical context; broader conclusions about the yarmulke, Judaism, and religion in America generally are drawn from the data.

Author

• Eric Michael Mazur, Virginia Wesleyan University