Dolls' Travel Preparation and Arrival

Black and White vinyl 16-inch versions of Twinkie by Effanbee

As mentioned in the post about the New-York Historical Society's Black Dolls exhibition, two of my dolls (black and white versions of Effanbee's 1968 Twinkie) are on loan to the museum. 

In October 2020, I received an email request from Dominique Jean-Louis, Associate Curator for History Exhibitions at the New-York Historical Society. Ms. Jean-Louis wrote:

I saw your post about obtaining a pair of white and black Effanbee dolls, similar to those used by Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark, in their famous doll test experiments- congratulations! We plan on sharing their story in our exhibition, and I wanted to reach out about the possibility of a loan of your dolls. It would be so powerful to have the dolls as a visual for our visitors!

I agreed to loan the two Twinkies. A few months later, I signed the loan release forms after which, art handlers were scheduled and arrived to pick up the dolls on December 28, 2021. I asked if I could take photos as the three handlers performed their designated duties. One handler packed the dolls, a second prepared the paperwork for me to sign, and a third (a new hire) observed the process.

An art handler used a knife to cut out a space for each doll to fit inside the foam packing of the shipping box.

The main handler traced each doll from head-to-toe onto black foam that filled an oversized shipping box. The above picture illustrates him cutting out the tracing for the first doll. 

A cutout for each doll has been created. In this photo, the handler holds one of the cutout pieces that later serves as a protective cover after the doll is inside the foam.

 

One doll is securely inside the foam bed.

This photo of the first Twinkie was taken from another angle.

The second doll is positioned securely inside its foam bed.

Both dolls are inside their foam beds and the cutout pieces are placed on top of each.

After the dolls were placed inside the foam, the third, newly-hired handler said, "I don't mean to sound morbid, but they look like they are in coffins." Admittedly, I was as amazed while I watched the main handler gently manipulate the dolls, create the cushioned shipping beds and toppers for each, and finally secure them in the shipping carton.

Before they left, I thanked them for their expertise and wished the third guy luck with his continued on-the-job training as an art handler.

They Made It!

My Twinkies are currently on display at the New-York Historical Society. 

Doll-friend Romona Jennings attended the grand opening ceremony of the Black Dolls Exhibition on the evening of February 24, 2022, and returned to enjoy it on February 26, 2022. She took the above photo of the dolls and the object identifier, which is shown in a close-up photo below.

A picture illustrating a child participating in Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark's Dolls Test,  seen here, taken by Gordon Parks in 1947, is on the wall above my Twinkie Dolls. The object identifier begins with the description of that photo followed by the description of the dolls.

Object Identifier (click or stretch to enlarge.)

The dolls are described on the object identifier as follows:

Effanbee Toy Company

Twinkie Dolls, ca 1968

Vinyl, textile

Private collection of Debbie Garrett

The last three paragraphs of the object identifier describe how the dolls were used in the 1954 Supreme Court decision that ruled segregated schools unconstitutional in the U.S. 

 

The Black Dolls exhibition at the New-York Historical Society runs through June 5, 2022.  My two versions of Effanbee's 1968 Twinkie dolls—the last known type of dolls used by the Clarks in their Dolls Tests—will be returned to me after the exhibition concludes. I hope their story along with the stories of the other dolls in the exhibition will receive a warm reception.

Bonus 1

At this link, view a video filmed at the exhibition by one of my Facebook friends.

Bonus 2

At this link, listen to an In The Doll World podcast interview of Dominique Jean-Louis. The assistant curator of this exhibition speaks in-depth about the Black Dolls exhibition and other events planned by the New-York Historical Society.

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There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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