WGSAC Annual Black Doll Exhibit Call for Dolls

December 8, 2018 – February 16, 2019

The William Grant Still Arts Center is in the process of selection for its 38th annual Black Doll Show. With this year’s theme, “Double Dutch: A Celebration of Black Girlhood” we honor, the diversity and uniqueness of Black Girls, through a multimedia exhibition of Dolls.

 

Theme
“Double Dutch: A Celebration of Black Girlhood” chosen by the curator, Myshell Tabu, seeks to showcase the many nuances of Black Girlhood, including play, activism, education, the Black experience, and hair. On a deeper level, the show intends to affirm Black women and girls through illustrating the depth, diversity, and dynamism of Black girlhood. Black girls are as innocent as they are strong and as creative as they are challenged.

As a creator and collector, Myshell Tabu has always been enthralled specifically with handmade dolls. As an educator, her pedagogy incorporates dolls for role-play with students to teach both language and self-expression. Her two daughters, Mma-Syrai and Ella, are also helping to curate the exhibit. The girls have upwards of twenty dolls and are currently learning to make dolls from socks.

Criteria
We are specifically looking for Black dolls that represent and depict Black girls learning, playing, and interacting with each other. There are a few restrictions on size. Priority will be given to doll artist who create hand made dolls specifically for this exhibit. Though we would like as many original, handmade or artist dolls as possible, we will also take collectible commercial dolls.

Dolls submitted for consideration should clearly depict some aspect of Black Girlhood. Submission can include single dolls or dolls in group settings.

Specific Categories we are looking for are dolls that represent:

• Play! We are innocent kids, too.

• Hand Games (Two or more dolls playing hand games with each other)

• Outdoor Play (Dolls hopping on one foot, jumping rope, playing ball, double dutch, etc.)

• Friendship (dolls in groups interacting) We support each other.

• Black Experience. We deal with unique circumstances.

• Dolls combing each other’s hair

• Dolls taking down braids

• Dolls with ashy knees

• Unique Names (Dolls with unique names — preferably sewn or written on their shirts) We are creative namers.

• Body Image (Dolls with a variety of shapes — very skinny, large posterior, small posterior, dark skin, light skin, short, tall, etc.) We are not a monolith.

• Dolls rolling eyes and neck

• Activism We fight Oppression and raise money for our causes
  (Example: doll with fist in the air, lemonade stand, Nia Wilson t-shirt)

• Around the Way Girl. We set trends.

• Dolls with bamboo earrings

• Baby hair

• Airbrushed shirts

• Cornrows

• Science  We are curious.

• Dolls playing with bugs or chemistry sets

• Emotion! We are not just “strong.” We are human. 
  Dolls experiencing a range of emotions — crying, happy, defeated, etc.

• Musical. We read music and play instruments.
  Dolls playing musical instruments

Submission Guidelines – How To Submit – 2018 Doll Show

1. Please send a JPEG photo of your doll/dolls/related artwork to girlhooddolls@gmail.com by November 4, 2018, with a short description and introduction to your work.  Submission of photos does not constitute acceptance into the show.)

2. Dolls that are accepted into the show will be notified and receive next steps for delivery to William Grant Still Arts Center between November 12 – 16, 2018.

3. This year we are also interested in altered book art or artist books, Black and White vintage photography depicting Black life, and story cloths that depict Black life in unique and creative ways.

4. If chosen, intake dates for dolls or artwork are by appointment during the Week of Nov. 19 – 24, 2018 with the exception of Thanksgiving Day.

About the Black Doll Show at the William Grant Still Arts Center
The Black doll show was inspired by a doll test conducted by Mamie and Kenneth Clark. The tests concluded that due to social stigmas, many black children preferred white dolls over black dolls. This test went on to become evidence in civil rights lawsuits.  The Clarks became expert witnesses in Brown vs. Board of education and helped the landmark decision to desegregate schools. This doll test was conducted again in 2006 by 17 year old filmmaker Kiri Davis, sadly with the same results.

Inspired by the doll test, artist/curator Cecil Fergerson started the Black Doll show in the ‘80s. Wanting to change the negative self-image, Fergerson brought together handmade dolls by artists around the country into one exhibit. Through its many transformations, the Black Doll Show has been a celebration of Black dolls from slavery, Jim Crow, freedom marches, music, dance, jazz, hip-hop and more.

Read their WordPress blog post here.

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WGSAC Annual Black Doll Exhibit Call for Dolls

Reemah Afia by Makedaa Dolls

Reemah Afia by Makedaa Dolls

I first saw Reemah Afia almost two years ago in Facebook postings with the caption, "Would you buy this doll for your daughter?"  I salivated over her huge Afro hairstyle and thought, "I'd buy her for me!"  After discovering that her body is all vinyl and articulated, I decided I definitely needed her,  but because I already owned another doll with the same face (straight hair, different body), I hesitated until recently to add Reemah Afia to my collection.

Reemah Afia, sold by Makedaa Dolls uses a head sculpt and body made by Paola Reina of Spain.  The back of her head bears Paola Reina's name under which is the following mold identifier:  08-2-J20-VN.

The doll arrived in a purple cardboard box with cellophane front.  One side panel reads:  Makedaa awakens The Queen that lies within each of our [princess].

The Makedaa website describes the doll as follows:

"Reema Afia is an African Princess. She is caring and a great listener. She is the perfect friend who will keep all your secrets. Reema is a stunning standing doll, the tallest of the three sisters*, 23.6 inches and 2.9 pounds tastefully perfumed with vanilla."

The website uses both spellings, Reemah and Reema.

CHARACTERISTICS:
- Reemah Afia has brown stationary eyes, applied upper eyelashes, broad facial features that are ethnically correct, and, as indicated and illustrated, rooted brown hair, styled in a huge Afro.

The website further describes her characteristics as follows:

- Vinyl standing doll
- 23.6 inches and 2.9 pounds
- moving joints (5 usual places of articulation plus wrists, elbows, knees and ankles)
- exquisitely vanilla perfumed
- Dress designed by Ghanaian designer Ehon B.


Available with brown or black hair and with a caftan-style, knee-length dress in a choice of colors, I chose brown hair and the "yellow" dress.  Reemah Afia arrived from London, England within a week after I placed my order.

Because their website did not include a buy button for the brown-haired version, I contacted Makedaa Dolls to order the brown-haired doll.  I initially tried to contact the company through the contact link at the website; however, the contact form never loaded for me on that day.  Persistent, I went to Facebook and used the message link to inquire about the brown-haired doll's availability and was informed the doll was, in fact, available.  A website glitch is responsible for the absence of the buy button for this version.  To order, I had to provide my name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number after which I received a Paypal invoice.

In addition to photographing the doll with and without clothing, I photographed the top, sides, and the top-back panel of her box prior to discarding it.  (I collect dolls; not boxes).  Those photos follow:

On the top of Reemah Afia's box is the image of a huge Afro pick.

One side of the box panel bears the doll's name.  The other side of the box was illustrated previously.

The top-back of the box bears the company's name.  Note again the Afro pick inside the "o" in dolls.  A warning that the doll is not suitable for children under 3 is included on the back panel in English and in six other languages.  Only the English script was captured in the above photograph.

Hairbrush and descriptive insert

The descriptive insert reads:  My name is Reemah Afia.  I'm so excited to get to know you.  I will listen to all your secrets and I will tell you mine.  Just like yours, my hair is my crown.  It needs to be handled with care and attention.  When you will take me out of the box, you need to fluff my hair back to [his] luxurious state with the brush that is next to me.    Remember!  You are beautiful and wonderfully made.
(The top side of the plastic brush is shown next to the insert.  There are two handles on top of the brush to easily hold it between two fingers while fluffing the doll's hair.)

The inside of the insert and the bottom of the brush are shown above.

Additional Photos of the Doll 

Reemah Afia's dress has a Velcro closure.  The wide black sash, which is removable, also closes with Velcro.

Reemah Afia wears white undies which the Velcro can easily snag.  As illustrated in this photo, this all-vinyl doll is articulated at the elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles.  Unfortunately, however, her upper arms can only move forward and backward.  They cannot abduct or move away from her body.

Another close-up of her lovely face and upper torso better illustrates her elbow joints. 

When placed in the seated position, the legs remain open as illustrated here.  Sitting is not at all ladylike.

Overall, I am pleased with this doll.  More range of movement of the upper arms and upper legs would have been better.  I am not at all fond of scented dolls, but I do know that Reemah Afia's vanilla scent will fade eventually.  I plan to make sandals to cover her bare feet, but this is not an immediate concern for me.

*Visit the Makedaa Dolls website to view Reemah Afia's little sisters.


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Reemah Afia by Makedaa Dolls

A Chronology of Black Dolls on Film

Based on my memory and research, this post is an attempt to document instances when black dolls have been used as companions, props, features, or decor on TV and on film.  Because all occurrences of black dolls used on film are not documented here, readers are urged to add comments on other occurrences of black dolls on TV and on film.  Due to screen captures of paused films and/or photos that were taken of paused scenes, the clarity of some images is suboptimal.  Just like actors, dolls used in entertainment media have rarely been referred to by their own names.  If they are named at all, they are given stage names.  Most of the ones shown here are not identified by name or manufacturer because this information is unknown.  If you recognize a doll, please add a comment to include the doll's name and/or manufacturer.  Thank you in advance.

Imitation of Life

Prior to her rejection of the doll, "Nancy" was given to Sarah Jane in Imitation of Life.

1959 – Imitation of Life.  The biracial Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner) who longed so desperately to be white and her African American mother, Annie (Juanita Moore) are found homeless on the beach before being taken in by a struggling white actress, Lora (Lana Turner) and her daughter, Susie (Sandra Dee).  The first night at Lora’s apartment, Susie and Sarah Jane giggle with excitement as they prepare to play with Susie’s dolls.  Susie hands her black doll to Sarah Jane, who becomes verbally disappointed by saying she doesn’t want to play with the black doll.  She wants the white one and grabs the doll from Susie’s hands.  This upsets Susie as she explains that Freda (the white doll) has been with her all her life.   Discovering Sarah Jane's attitude, Annie reprimands her child, gives Freda back to Susie and hands Nancy to Sarah Jane. On the way to their back-room living quarters in Lora’s tiny New York apartment, Sarah Jane asks why they always have to live in the back after which she drops the black doll to the floor to illustrate her disgust at having to play with it instead of the white doll.  It also symbolizes her rejection of her mother and her black ancestry.

Nancy appears to be one of Horsman's many versions of Ruthie.  

"Where the Woodbine Twineth"

In a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's "Where the Woodbine Twineth," Eva (the role portrayed by the young actress Eileen Baral) pretends to walk her doll, Numa.

1965 – "Where the Woodbine Twineth" originally aired on January 11, 1965, as part of the third season of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.  This episode features the doll Numa (which means spirit).  At the end of the episode, Numa eerily comes to life.  Possibly not manufactured as a black doll, Numa appears to have been a white companion-type doll that was painted black.  See more photos of Numa at the link provided at the end of this post.

Good Times

1970s, exact year of airing unknown – In an episode of the Good Times TV sitcom, Penny (Janet Jackson) becomes frustrated because J J Evans (Jimmie Walker) is going out on a date.  (Penny has a a major crush on J J).  She tries all she can to convince J J not to go.  As he is leaving, Penny takes her frustration out on a cloth doll by whacking the doll multiple times.  For her, this is a learned behavior after being physically abused by her mother on the show (Chip Fields, real-life mother of actress, Kim Fields).  While it was a sitcom about a family struggling to "make ends meet," each episode of Good Times attempted to broach issues faced by ordinary people.

The Bodyguard

A Barbie-type doll (that actually looks like a 1980s-1990s Christie) was used in The Bodyguard.

Additional view of the Barbie-type doll used in The Bodyguard.

1992 – The Bodyguard.  In the opening scenes of this love-story movie, seconds before Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) goes on stage to sing, someone gives a Barbie-type doll to her.  The doll wears a sash that reads, "We Love You Rachel."  The doll, handed off to an assistant and left behind in Marron’s dressing room (second photo above), explodes shortly afterward.

In a scene that follows the explosion of the fashion doll, Rachel is at home in her bedroom where several vintage dolls are seen in a display case and also in the bed with her as her bodyguard tucks her in before leaving the room.  Images of these dolls follow.

A variety of dolls are in a display case in Rachel Marron's bedroom (The Bodyguard).

Before tucking Rachel into bed, Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), her bodyguard, gently pushes these composition and cloth dolls to the other side of Rachel's bed (The Bodyguard).

Close-up of some of the antique and vintage cloth and composition black dolls on Rachel's bed (The Bodyguard) 

Rachel watches Farmer as he exits the bedroom.  The body of one of her vintage dolls can be seen to her right (The Bodyguard).

Farmer exits Marron's room.  A Mama-type composition doll is above Rachel's head. (The Bodyguard).

The Cosby Show

Raven-Symoné's character, Olivia, (the young girl in the center above) holds a box that contains Nitey-Nite Baby by Famosa of Spain (The Cosby Show).

Nite-Nite Baby by Famosa of Spain, made in 1989, is the doll used in "The Getaway" episode of The Cosby Show.

1992 – The Cosby Show.   Nitey-Nite Baby is one of many dolls featured on this TV sitcom about the Huxtable family starring Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable and Phylicia Rashad as his attorney wife, Clair.  Their children are Sondra (Sabrina Le Beauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcom-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keisha Knight-Pulliam).  Rudy’s black dolls are in the background of most early episodes.  In season 8, episode 17, “The Getaway,” as Sondra and her husband, Elvin (Geoffrey Owens), are preparing to move out the Huxtable household into their own place, Olivia (Denise’s stepdaughter, played by the young Raven-Symoné) is seen carrying a box of toys containing Nitey-Nite Baby by Famosa of Spain.  The doll is barely visible in the screenshot, but it was identified by a former owner of a Nitey-Nite Baby during her search a few years ago for a replacement of her childhood doll.  This woman did not know the doll’s name but recognized the doll in the box on this episode of The Cosby Show as being like the doll she longed to replace.  She posted a “want to buy/help with ID” message on an eBay doll message board.  A reader of her post contacted me through eBay asking for my assistance in identifying the doll.  Read more about what happened afterward at the Nitey-Nite Doll link found at the end of this post.

Malcolm X

In the movie, Malcolm X, his oldest daughter, far left, holds a black Raggedy Ann-type doll.

1992 – Malcolm X, the movie by Spike Lee starring Denzel Washington as Malcolm X recounts the early life of Malcolm X from early childhood to his assassination.  A few seconds prior to the assassination scene at the Audubon Hotel where Malcolm was scheduled to speak, the oldest daughter drops her rag doll on the way to her seat.  A man picks up the doll, smiles and says to her (paraphrased), “Here you go my sister.”  The girls and their mother take their seats and the oldest girl is seen clutching her rag doll seconds before Malcolm X appears behind the podium and is callously and brutally assassinated by several men in the presence of his wife and children.  One of the assassins is the man whom had given the oldest girl her dropped doll.

Martin

In the background, dolls are on shelves in Gina's apartment (Martin).

1992 – Martin, stars Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell-Martin.  On the show, Campbell-Martin is Martin’s girlfriend, Gina, who later becomes his wife.  Prior to their marriage, before Gina gives up her apartment and moves in with Martin, scenes in several episodes were shot in Gina’s apartment which was decorated with dolls.  At the entrance of her apartment, a My Buddy doll and a few other dolls were always present.  A short distance behind the sofa against the wall was a shelf used to display a variety of other dolls (as seen in the photo immediately above).  Tisha Campbell-Martin is said to be a black-doll collector.   Some of the dolls used on the set of Martin were possibly from her personal collection. 

Crooklyn

In this black and white photo of a scene from Crooklyn, the siblings gather to watch TV in Troy's bedroom.  Black dolls are seen in the background.

1994 – Crooklyn, a Spike Lee Joint, is a movie about a 1970s family of seven in Brooklyn, New York.  The mother is a school teacher and the father a struggling musician.   Of the five children, there is only one girl whose name is Troy (Zelda Harris).  Black dolls are seen in Troy’s bedroom where she and her brothers often gather to watch popular shows like “The Partridge Family,” “Soul Train,” and if it is the oldest boy's night to choose what they watch, basketball games.   In contrast to Troy’s all-black dolls, her more well-to-do cousin, whom Troy visits down south during the summer of 1973, owns several dolls, but none are black.

Living Single

This is the Shareen doll as seen in season 2, episode 23 of Living Single.

1994, Living Single, is a very popular sitcom about six 30-something upwardly mobile friends who live in a Brooklyn brownstone.  In season 2, episode 23, “Who’s Scooping Who?”  Regine (actress Kim Fields’ character) discovers a doll named Shareen has been fashioned in her likeness and she goes after the company for royalties.  The unknown doll used in this episode is a Barbie-sized doll with very generic facial features.  The final link navigates to a short segment of this episode that includes the Shareen doll.  

Waiting to Exhale

In Waiting to Exhale, Michael (Wendell Pierce) and Robin (Lela Rochon) are in a bedroom scene with a group of black cloth dolls seen in the background.

An antique black cloth doll is seen in the background in this Waiting to Exhale scene.

1995 – Waiting to Exhale.  Based on the book of the same name by Terry McMillan, this movie is about the lives of four female friends and confidantes.  Though it was never mentioned in the book or movie, the character, Robin Stokes, played by Lela Rochon, is a doll collector.  Dolls are on display in her bedroom and living room.  In the scene where Robin invites a coworker to her apartment, some of her cloth dolls are seen.  Also in the bedroom, an antique black cloth doll is visible in the background as Robin stands in the foreground waiting for her date to enter the bedroom.  Not shown here, Ndebele and other types of black dolls were in other Waiting to Exhale scenes in Robin's apartment.

Eve’s Bayou

Eve (Jurnee Smollett) lies on her bed playing with a stuffed monkey.  A black doll is in the background as are other dolls and toys.  The black doll in the next

An unidentified black baby doll is seated on the floor of Eve's bedroom (Eve's Bayou).

1997 – Eve’s Bayou.  Set in the 1960s in a small town in Louisiana, this movie is about a prominent African American family that includes two members with psychic abilities.  Young Eve (Jurnee Smollett) and her aunt (Debbi Morgan) possess this gift.  One of the aunt’s visions forces the children of the Batiste family into home confinement.  During this time, the children were commanded by their mother (Lynn Whitfield) to remain inside the house where they had to find ways to entertain themselves.  A black doll and other dolls are seen in Eve’s bedroom and the camera pans in on one doll in particular during Eve’s house-restricted status.  If the writer used a period-accurate doll, this doll might have been from Madame Alexander or Vogue's 1960s product lines.

Down in the Delta

Down in the Delta: Annie (Esther Rolle) is seated with her large cloth doll watching TV.

1998 – Down in the Delta.  This movie, starring Alfre Woodard, the late Esther Rolle, Al Freeman, Jr., Mary Alice, and Loretta Devine was directed by Maya Angelou.   It is about a mother of two (Alfre Woodard) who struggles with and overcomes addiction.  In the process of recovery, she and her son discover part of their ancestral history as told to them by her mother and uncle.  

Esther Rolle’s character, Annie Sinclair, suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.  Annie’s cloth doll is an almost constant companion for her in the few scenes in which she appears, one of which is shown in the photo above.  Additional scenes of Annie and her doll are captured below:

As she holds her large cloth doll, Annie is being assisted by her caregiver (Loretta Divine) to a chair to watch her favorite cartoon, "Rocky and Bullwinkle" (Down in the Delta).

Right before her unfortunate slip and fall accident, Annie clutches her doll (Down in the Delta).

After Annie's fall in Down in the Delta, she is hospitalized and her doll companion is hospitalized with her.  Annie's nicely dressed doll was probably made from a cloth doll pattern.

Life-Size

2000 – Life-size, is a movie starring Tyra Banks as Eve and Lindsay Lohan as Casey Stuart.  Casey’s Barbie-type doll (which was Integrity Toys’ Janay) comes to life.

Woman Thou Art Loosed on the 7th Day 

Displayed in the living room of the Ames' home in Woman Thou Art Loosed on the 7th Day are doll-art sculptures by Chris Malone.

2012 – Woman Thou Art Loosed:  On the 7^th Day, is about a the kidnapping of a couples' daughter and secrets that unfold over a seven-day period. 

The décor in the home of Blair Underwood and Sharon Leal’s characters, David and Kari Ames, includes doll art by Chris Malone.  Close-up views of Malone’s doll art can be seen on his website at the link under Additional Reading. The movie is mentioned on the Shows and Exhibits tab of Malone's website. 

Hidden Figures

In this scene from the movie, Hidden Figures, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) is in her daughters' bedroom where a black baby doll is stored on a shelf.

Close-up of baby doll in Hidden Figures

2016 – Hidden Figures.  This movie, set in the early 1960s, is based on the lives of the African American female “human computers”/mathematicians who worked for NASA and played vital roles in America’s early space program.  In the movie, after a long day at NASA, one of the mathematicians, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) prepares to tuck her three daughters into bed in the girls' shared bedroom.  One of their dolls is seen on a shelf in the background.  This unidentified doll, shown in the two photos above, could have been made by Effanbee or Vogue during the early 1960s.  

Queen Sugar

Queen Sugar:  Blue (Ethan Hutchison) is seen with his doll, Kenya (seen in a stock photo below).

Blue's doll is actually Barbie Style Grace.

2016 to present – Queen Sugar, an OWN network TV series, produced by Oprah Winfrey and Ava Duvernay, is about the struggles of the Bordelon siblings to keep the family’s Louisiana sugar cane farm afloat.  In the first season, with the help of his Aunt Vi, one of the siblings, Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe), is raising his young son, Blue (Ethan Hutchison).  Blue has a doll, Kenya, that is his constant companion.   The doll is actually Barbie Style Grace.   See more photos of Blue and his doll at the link below.

Links and Additional Reading:

"Where the Woodbine Twineth"

Nitey-Nite Baby

Chris Malone Art  

Katherine Johnson Video
Blue's Doll Kenya

Living Single episode 23 "Who's Scooping Who?"
   

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Thank you for following this blog, for reading the posts, and for your comments. If you are not already a subscriber, go to the homepage. If the right sidebar is not visible, scroll to the bottom and click "desktop view," locate and click "subscribe to posts." Optionally, also subscribe to comments. There is also an email subscription box for those who would like to receive posts by email.

Follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black
View the Doll Events page for updates. Check out my eBay listings here.

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A Chronology of Black Dolls on Film