Shindana's Disco Wanda and Juanita

Three versions of Shindana's first 11-1/2-inch fashion doll, Disco Wanda, 1978

Shindana Toys, a Division of Operation Bootstrap, was founded in 1968 in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts, California riots. The company's goal was to help rebuild the community and provide jobs for community residents. Their motto of Learn, baby! Learn! was in stark opposition to "Burn, baby! Burn!" which was chanted by the 1965 rioters as they burned buildings in their own community during a six-day protest against police brutality. Shindana Toys was one of the many co-ops formed under the Division of Operation Bootstrap. Their doll factory, located in Watts from 1968 through 1983, became a forerunner in the manufacture of ethnically correct dolls for Black children. Shindana is actually credited as the first American doll company to mass-produce ethnically correct dolls so Black children could see positive images of themselves in their toys. While most Shindana dolls were Black, their catalog of dolls includes a few that represent other ethnicities. Disco Juanita is one example of this.

In addition to a host of other dolls by Shindana Toys, I have owned the above three different versions of Disco Wanda for over 20 years. In recent years, Disco Juanita, the Latina version of Disco Wanda, had been calling my name.  I was recently able to mark her off my want list with an eBay find.

This Disco Wanda marks doll #4 for me; she poses with my newly-acquired, one and only, Disco Juanita.

The eBay auction included both Disco Wanda and Disco Juanita, and one Disco Wanda box.

Having sold originally for $4.68, the original Toys R Us (TRU) sticker price remains on the top flap.  

Both dolls have painted brown eyes, smiling mouths with upper and lower teeth and the hint of a tongue. Their lip color differs and complements their complexions.  Both have shoulder-length, black hair, which is rooted and styled in a flip.  Wanda has an orange flower that pierces her left temple. Juanita wears a pink flower choker.

Made of polyester, Wanda's dress is gold; Juanita's is orange.  They both wear headbands made from the same material as their dresses and each wears a black floral waist sash with black fringe.  Both dolls arrived with bare feet.


Three different versions of Disco Wanda appear in Shindana's 1978 catalog without the mention of Juanita.  This leads me to believe Juanita was introduced at least a year later.  While the catalog indicates Wanda is "fully articulated," the articulation extends only to the usual five areas plus a swivel waist and bendable knees.

Original TRU sales receipt for the doll that was in the Disco Wanda box

Included in the Disco Wanda-labeled box was a clear plastic doll stand.   Upon removing the inner box lining, a TRU sales receipt fell out, which shows the original retail price of $4.68.  That price and the TRU stock number match the TRU box sticker price and stock number.

The bottom flap of the box contains stock numbers for Wanda and Juanita (#2058 and #2450, respectively). It is unknown if Shindana used the same box for both dolls, or if Disco Juanita had her own box that contained her name and image where Wanda's name and image appear.  For now, Juanita owns the box that was included in the auction.  The newest Wanda will be displayed with similar dolls.

For more information about Shindana Toys and the Watts Riots navigate to the following links:
The Shindana Story (additional links are included at the end of this post).
Shindana Toys (a Wikipedia entry)
Watts Riots
Watts Riots



dbg
Follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black
Check out my eBay listings here.