African American Dolls and Their Connection to New Orleans

The United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC) held its 77th annual convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, in July 2026. I was asked to contribute an article to the convention journal, Past Present Future ~ Celebrating Dolls of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. 

I selected some of the finest dolls created by American artists that reflect the culture, music, religion, and cuisine of New Orleans for my article, "African American Dolls and Their Connection to New Orleans."

Click the play button below and take a brief glimpse of the article. 

An intriguing variety of Black dolls from the late 1800s through the first quarter of the twentieth century are found in Sharon B. Harbin's 7-page article, "French Dolls That Could Have Graced Bourbon Street." The article features dollmakers such as Bru, Étienne Denamur, Eden Bébé, François Gaultier, Jumeau, Lanternier, and S.F.B.J.

Robert Tonner discusses "The Future of Doll Making" in his article of the same name, which features "AI-generated concept visuals created to explore possible future directions in doll design and doll making." Where AI fits in, according to Tonner, "[it] is best described as a design assistant, not a creator... AI can speed up brainstorming and exploration, but taste, restraint, and emotional understanding remain firmly human responsibilities."

Bradley Justice Yarbrough's journal contribution, "Barbie: A Constant Evolution," highlights America's most popular mass-produced fashion doll through the decades. Barbie's existence, he writes, "reflects changes in fashion, design, trends, and popular culture."

The 2026 UFDC Convention souvenir journal includes several other informative articles as well as a Huret costume pattern.

The journals are always welcome additions to my doll-book collection. It is always an honor to be a contributing author to such a distinguished organization's publications.

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©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

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