Shindana Toys
Shindana Toys, a division of Operation Bootstrap, Inc., was a South Central Los Angeles, California cooperative toy company formed after the 1965 Watts riots. Company proceeds supported businesses in the Watts area. Shindana (a Swahili word meaning "to complete") Toys was community-owned and founded by Louis S. Smith, II and Robert Hall. The former was also the company president. The Chase Manhattan Bank and Mattel Toy Company financed a portion of the Shindana Toys' operations. According to a doll box from 1975, the company's address and phone number were "6107 So. Central Ave, Los Angeles, Calif 90001 213-231-9387."
Shindana Toys was notable for being one of the first toy companies to market ethnically correct dolls. A goal of the company was to raise black consciousness and improve self-image. In a 1970's Los Angeles Associated Press article, company president, Louis Smith said, "We believe that only by learning to love oneself can one learn to love others...Shindana believes that by marketing black dolls and games that both black and white children can learn to relate to at an early age, the company can foster the spirit of what Shindana is all about, love."
Shindana doll lines Some Shindana dolls were created with the likenesses of positive black celebrities, including Flip Wilson, Jimmie Walker, Julius Erving (a.k.a. Dr. J.), O.J. Simpson, Marla Gibbs, Redd Foxx, Diana Ross, and Michael Jackson.
The Soul Dolls A line of Shindana talking dolls created to say uplifting phrases like "Learn, baby, learn."--a tranformation of the "Burn, baby, burn" chants often heard during the Watts riots. A related doll line, "Cuddly li'l Souls," included dolls with names like "Sis," "Natra," "Wilky," and "Coochy." This line was describe in the 1971 Sears Wish Book as "Soft cloth-body rag dolls with natural-style yarn hair."
Tamu: A popular talking Shinanda doll said the following phrases.
- Cool it, baby.
- Do you like my dress?
- Hold me tight.
- I'm sleepy.
- Can you dig it?
- Let's play house.
- I love you.
- Tamu means 'sweet'.
- I'm hungry.
- I'm proud, like you.
Career Girl, Wanda: "Each of Wanda's boxes included a little pamphlet explaining the doll's particular profession. Photos of real Black women in these professions and their comments about the nature of their jobs gave suggestions on what the child might do to learn more about the job." Some of Wanda's careers included nurse, stewardess, skydiver, tennis player, and singer.
In addition to their doll lines, Shindana also produced games, the most popular of which was the "Jackson 5ive Action Game," which included a deck of jumbo cards, Jackson 5 coins, scorecard, and markers.
Print Source: Gonzales, Patrisia. "Preserving Part of Black History with Dolls" The Philadelphia Enquirer. July 14, 1985. p. 5