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Other popular collectible Black dolls include manufactured play dolls past and current, manufactured dolls designed for collectors by companies such as [[Alexander Doll Company|Madame Alexander]] and [[Tonner Doll Company, Inc.|Tonner Doll]], artist dolls, one-of-a-kind dolls, portrait dolls and those representing historical figures, [[reborn doll]]s, and [[paper dolls]]. In addition, [[American Girl]] has also released Black dolls portraying girls of color from various points in American history such as Addy Walker and civil rights-era Melody Ellison, as well as those from the present day.
Other popular collectible Black dolls include manufactured play dolls past and current, manufactured dolls designed for collectors by companies such as [[Alexander Doll Company|Madame Alexander]] and [[Tonner Doll Company, Inc.|Tonner Doll]], artist dolls, one-of-a-kind dolls, portrait dolls and those representing historical figures, [[reborn doll]]s, and [[paper dolls]]. In addition, [[American Girl]] has also released Black dolls portraying girls of color from various points in American history such as Addy Walker and civil rights-era Melody Ellison, as well as those from the present day.

To honor the history of Black dolls, in 2012, three sisters named Debra Britt, Felicia Walker, and Tamara Mattison opened the [https://nbdmhc.org/ National Black Doll Museum of History and Culture] in Mansfield, Massachusetts. While open, it features over 6,000 Black dolls<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/black-is-beautiful-why-black-dolls-matter/|title=Black Is Beautiful: Why Black Dolls Matter|work=Collectors Weekly|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en}}</ref> and its mission is to nurture the self-esteem of children and preserve the legacy of Black dolls.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2018/05/national-black-doll-museum|title=Learning from Toys|date=2018-04-06|work=Harvard Magazine|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en}}</ref> The National Black Doll Museum, unfortunately shuttered its business due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the museum was open, roughly 1,000 Black dolls were on view at the now-closed [https://web.archive.org/web/20181108185250/https://philadollmuseum.com/ Philadelphia Doll Museum], which was founded by Barbara Whiteman.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://whyy.org/articles/doll-museum-embodies-passion-for-history-hope-for-future/|title=Doll museum embodies passion for history, hope for future : WHYY|work=WHYY|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en-US}}</ref>


[[Mattel Toys]] created the first Black dolls in the popular [[Barbie]] line, Francie and Christie, in 1967 and 1969 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chocolatedoll.com/african_american_barbie_creation.html|title=Chocolatedoll.com! Finally the History of Black Barbie|website=www.chocolatedoll.com|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref> This caused controversy at the time they were released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chocolatedoll.com/barbie_controversy.html|title=Chocolatedoll.com! The Controversy of Barbie|last=Design.|first=PGC|website=www.chocolatedoll.com|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref>
[[Mattel Toys]] created the first Black dolls in the popular [[Barbie]] line, Francie and Christie, in 1967 and 1969 respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chocolatedoll.com/african_american_barbie_creation.html|title=Chocolatedoll.com! Finally the History of Black Barbie|website=www.chocolatedoll.com|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref> This caused controversy at the time they were released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chocolatedoll.com/barbie_controversy.html|title=Chocolatedoll.com! The Controversy of Barbie|last=Design.|first=PGC|website=www.chocolatedoll.com|access-date=2018-11-08}}</ref>

==Black Doll Museums==
To honor the history of Black dolls, in 2012, three sisters named Debra Britt, Felicia Walker, and Tamara Mattison opened the [https://nbdmhc.org/ National Black Doll Museum of History and Culture] in Mansfield, Massachusetts. While open to the public, it featured over 6,000 Black dolls<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/black-is-beautiful-why-black-dolls-matter/|title=Black Is Beautiful: Why Black Dolls Matter|work=Collectors Weekly|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en}}</ref> and its mission is to continue to nurture the self-esteem of children and preserve the legacy of Black dolls.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2018/05/national-black-doll-museum|title=Learning from Toys|date=2018-04-06|work=Harvard Magazine|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en}}</ref> The National Black Doll Museum, unfortunately shuttered its business in 2020. Founded in 1988 by Barbara Whiteman, while the [https://web.archive.org/web/20181108185250/https://philadollmuseum.com/ Philadelphia Doll Museum] was open, roughly 1,000 Black dolls were on view. This museum is now closed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://whyy.org/articles/doll-museum-embodies-passion-for-history-hope-for-future/|title=Doll museum embodies passion for history, hope for future : WHYY|work=WHYY|access-date=2018-11-08|language=en-US}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 16:40, 26 August 2021

File:Black dolls.jpg
Various antique to modern Black dolls from the collection of Debbie Garrett

A Black doll is a doll of a Black person. Manufacturing of Black Dolls dates back to the 19th century, with representations being both realistic and stereotypical. More accurate, mass-produced depictions are manufactured today as toys and adult collectibles.

European manufacture

Several 19th-century European doll companies preceded American doll companies in manufacturing Black dolls. These predecessors include Carl Bergner of Germany, who made a three-faced doll with one face a crying Black child and the other two, happier white faces. In 1892, Jumeau of Paris advertised Black and mixed race dolls with bisque heads. Gebruder Heubach of Germany made character faces in bisque. Other European doll makers include Bru Jne. & Cie of Paris, Steiner, Danel, Société Française de Fabrication de Bébés et Jouets (S.F.B.J.), and Kestner of Germany.

American manufacture

Ad for the Negro Doll Company, Nashville, Tennessee, 1908

American entrepreneur Richard Henry Boyd founded the National Negro Doll Company in 1911 "after he tried to purchase dolls for his children but could find none that were not gross caricatures of African Americans."[1]

American companies began including Black dolls in their doll lines in the early 1900s. Between 1910 and 1930, Horsman, Vogue, and Madame Alexander included Black dolls in their doll lines. Gradually, other American companies followed suit.

In 1947, the first African American woman cartoonist Jackie Ormes created the Patty-Jo doll, which was based on Patty-Jo 'n Ginger, the cartoon panel she penned for newspapers at the time.[2] The doll was a realistic Black doll, breaking the mammy doll stereotype.[3]

Beatrice Wright Brewington, an African American entrepreneur, founded B. Wright's Toy Company, Inc. and mass-produced Black dolls with ethnically-correct features.[4] Also an educator, Wright began instructing girls in the art of making dolls in 1955.[5]

During the 1960s and in the aftermath of the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, California, Shindana Toys, a Division of Operation Bootstrap, Inc., is credited as the first major doll company to mass-produce ethnically correct[6] Black dolls in the United States.

Other popular collectible Black dolls include manufactured play dolls past and current, manufactured dolls designed for collectors by companies such as Madame Alexander and Tonner Doll, artist dolls, one-of-a-kind dolls, portrait dolls and those representing historical figures, reborn dolls, and paper dolls. In addition, American Girl has also released Black dolls portraying girls of color from various points in American history such as Addy Walker and civil rights-era Melody Ellison, as well as those from the present day.

Mattel Toys created the first Black dolls in the popular Barbie line, Francie and Christie, in 1967 and 1969 respectively.[7] This caused controversy at the time they were released.[8]

Black Doll Museums

To honor the history of Black dolls, in 2012, three sisters named Debra Britt, Felicia Walker, and Tamara Mattison opened the National Black Doll Museum of History and Culture in Mansfield, Massachusetts. While open to the public, it featured over 6,000 Black dolls[9] and its mission is to continue to nurture the self-esteem of children and preserve the legacy of Black dolls.[10] The National Black Doll Museum, unfortunately shuttered its business in 2020. Founded in 1988 by Barbara Whiteman, while the Philadelphia Doll Museum was open, roughly 1,000 Black dolls were on view. This museum is now closed.[11]

See also

Books, 1987

References

  1. ^ "Former Slave Creates The First Black Doll Company For His Daughters, Here's Why | Black Then". blackthen.com. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  2. ^ "Jackie Ormes: Torchy, Candy, Patty-Jo & Ginger!". Zócalo Poets. 2015-03-01. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  3. ^ https://www.facebook.com/comicriffs. "Perspective | The rediscovered legacy of Jackie Ormes, the first black woman with a syndicated comic strip". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-11-08. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= (help)
  4. ^ Sayej, Nadja (2017-04-25). "From controversy to empowerment: the history of black dolls". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  5. ^ Enthusiast, Black Doll (2010-02-23). "Black Doll Collecting: Moments in Black Doll History - Beatrice Wright Dolls". Black Doll Collecting. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  6. ^ MIBDH: The Shindana Story and One of Its Main Characters (retrieved May 5, 2017), The Shindana Story, Originally printed in the March/April 1990 issue of Doll-E-Gram, published by Lavern E. Hall
  7. ^ "Chocolatedoll.com! Finally the History of Black Barbie". www.chocolatedoll.com. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  8. ^ Design., PGC. "Chocolatedoll.com! The Controversy of Barbie". www.chocolatedoll.com. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  9. ^ "Black Is Beautiful: Why Black Dolls Matter". Collectors Weekly. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  10. ^ "Learning from Toys". Harvard Magazine. 2018-04-06. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  11. ^ "Doll museum embodies passion for history, hope for future : WHYY". WHYY. Retrieved 2018-11-08.