What is Sadie Hawkins?

Sadie Hawkins Day actually began as a made up event in a comic strip from the late 1930s. Al Capp's Lil' Abner. This comic was about a group of hillbillies who lived in the Mountains and lived in a small town called Dogpatch. Dogpatch was full of stereotypical characters from Lil' Abner who was gorgeous and absolutely dumb to Earthquake McGoon who was ex wrestler.

According to Capp Interprises, Sadie Hawkins Day made it first appearance in November 15, 1937. According to the comic Sadie Hawkins was a very ugly girl and her father could not "marry her off. " Her father was a "big shot" in city so he was able to decree the first annual Sadie Hawkins Day race in which Sadie was then allowed to chase all the single men of Dogpatch. The rule was there was no rules and whoever she caught would become her husband.

Thus, the legend of Sadie in the comics but how did they turn into a dance? Well according to the Capp Interprises, "life magazine reported over 200 colleges holding Sadie Hawkins Day events in 1939, only two years after its inception. It became a woman empowering rite at high schools and college campuses, long before the modern feminist movement gained prominence. The basis of Sadie Hawkins Day is that women and girls take the initiative in inviting the man or boy of their choice out on a date, typically to a dance attended by other bachelors and their aggressive dates."

Because the public responded to the comic strip Al Capp every November would have the characters prepare for Sadie Hawkins Day and the comic began to have the main characters Daisy Mae and Lil' Abner chase each other year after year.

Refer to the link provided to check out Lil' Aber comics