Nearly everyone with an internet connection is familiar with the “Karen” meme, but where did she come from? While often portrayed as a joke, the Karen embodies a history as old as America: white women using positions of power to influence events that often endanger people of color. From the “Miss Ann” of the Antebellum era, to “Becky” in the 1990’s, to “Karen” in the present day, this class examines how the image of the white damsel in distress has perpetuated systemic racism in the US. Using examples like the murder of Emmett Till, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more, the class seeks to contextualize a violent history of white womanhood and how to stop it.