These days, there is a lot of debate about what it means to be an American. Many people are desperate to draw lines of division between real Americans, those who deserve benefits from the economy and social welfare, and those who are not, and therefore don’t deserve to even live in the country. One component of this debate is the question of what a real American looks like. To some, a real American is someone whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower, a white Anglo-Saxon Protestant, and anyone who looks different is not really American. But I that if we want to discover what constitutes a true American, we need look no further than the childhood of every girl currently in their teens and early twenties. A real American looks as diverse as any American Girl Doll.

Felicity Merriman-An American Girl

To many, Felicity represents the ideal American, if not really the ideal girl. She is the daughter of an entrepreneur in colonial Virginia, but she is nothing like the quiet, obedient housewife that the colonial era strove to create. If Felicity lived today, she would probably be a professional equestrian and champion of women’s rights. She’s quite the patriot, and no one could call her un-American.

Josefina Montoya-An American Girl

With all the controversy surrounding Mexican-American relations right now, Josefina is exactly the role model that Latina girls deserve. She is smart, courageous, and amazingly independent. Her creativity and devotion to her family saves the town many times during her book series. Josefina lives in New Mexico while it is still under Mexican rule, but she is still considered an American girl because she represents the ancestors of many Americans in the Southwest. She even speaks fluent Spanish, demonstrating that speaking English is not a requirement to being American.

Kaya'aton'my-An American Girl

Of any girl in this series, Kaya is possibly the most American of them all. She is a Native American of the Nimíipuu, or Nez Perce Tribe. She is ambitious, strong, resourceful, and way outspoken. Kaya represents independence and bravery, and while her mouth sometimes gets her into trouble, her clever mind can always provide her with a solution. I think many times we forget exactly who was in America first. It wasn’t the Pilgrims.

Addy Walker-An American Girl

Addy has perhaps the most poignant story of any American girl. Her book series begins when she is still in slavery. This is so important because the series is targeted at young girls, who need to understand the horrors that existed in our country’s past, in a way they can connect with. Addy demonstrates that there were girls just like any young girl who were also enslaved, but that they had dreams, hopes, and hearts just like any 8-year-old. Addy is so committed to her family and loves so deeply, and rises so far above her situation. She is such a good role model.

Kirsten Larson-An American Girl

Kirsten’s story begins with her arrival in America. She is a Swedish immigrant, and at first, she feels that she does not belong in America. She has difficulty adjusting to her new life in Minnesota, but soon she begins to settle in and demonstrate her kindness and acceptance to those in her newfound community. She loves learning new things, even if she struggles in school, and her acceptance of responsibility shows her hidden maturity. Kirsten is an extremely hard worker, and as American as they come, even though she was born somewhere else.

What I’m really trying to say is, if you’re wondering what an American looks like, American Girl Dolls are a good place to start. Americans are black, white, Hispanic, immigrants, Native Americans, independent, resourceful, hard-working, and strong. Instead of narrowing our definition of what an American can be, we should remember all of the people who made America what it is. Every single people group has contributed to making America what it is, and they deserve recognition for the work they have done. This is a country built by all of us.