Genius Aretha's Doll Updated

This is a screen snapshot of a Black ragdoll created by Mark Ruffin for the National Geographic series, Genius: Aretha

Genius: Aretha is a multi-part National Geographic series about the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. The story commences when Aretha (Little Re, played by Shaian Jordan) was 12. In several scenes of episode 1, "Respect" (which first aired on March 21, 2021), Little Re is seen with her black rag doll, which was created by Mark Ruffin, founder of Black Dolls Matter. 

The flashback scenes of her childhood were filmed in black and white. I took screenshots of Little Re and her doll in paused scenes; the clarity of my photos is a bit compromised. 

In this photo and the next, Little Re clutches her doll for comfort after an unfortunate racist roadside dilemma.

Dolls can provide comfort.

In this scene, and in the photos that follow, Little Re has joined one of her famous father's house parties where several celebrities were in attendance. She is seated alongside Reverand C. L. Franklin's girlfriend and across from Ted White, whom she would later marry.

Close-up of Little Re and her doll from the scene described above.

This is from the same scene above.

A not so clear close-up of the ragdoll

Little Re receives sage advice about singing and men from Dinah Washington (played by Stacey Seargeant) who was also at the house party. Dinah Washington was the "then" girlfriend of Ted White, the man Little Re later married.

This final B&W photo is a close-up of the previous scene with Dinah Washington and Little Re.

Little Re (Shaian Jordan) meets Dinah Washington in the following YouTube video clip courtesy of National Geographic. (The video is the scene in the film from which the above still photos were captured with my camera.)

Mark Ruffin (the doll's creator) shared a color photo of the doll on his Instagram page below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mark Ruffin (@mrcostudio)

 

Genius: Aretha first aired on the National Geographic Channel, on Hulu, and on the Roku National Geographic app. Check your local listings for on-demand airings. If the National Geographic Channel is part of your TV plan, all episodes can also be viewed online here. Read more about Genius: Aretha here.

Visit Mark Ruffin's Black Dolls Matter website here.

Happy heavenly birthday to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Louis Franklin, born March 25, 1942.

I have added the doll's appearance to my blog post, More Black Dolls on Film Updated. 

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