Learn Baby Learn Book Review

Learn, Baby, Learn the Shindana Toy Factory’s Legacy of Black Pride

By

Charlotte Watson Sherman

Illustrated by Esther J. Stimphat

My excitement about this book commenced when I learned of its publication by email from the author. The excitement increased after receiving my copy directly from the author, and it escalated even further after I viewed the front cover, which illustrates Black children enjoying Shindana’s dolls Kim in formal attire, Career Girl Wanda, and J.J., along with Slade Super Agent action figure.

After opening the hardcover and viewing the first three pages of colorful Shindana doll illustrations by Esther J. Stimphat, I was filled with joy to realize others, both familiar and unfamiliar with the company’s rich history, will rediscover or discover its legacy of Black pride and what prompted the founders to create this historic doll company—the first to mass-produce ethnically correct Black dolls.

Readers will discover the names of former businesses that operated in what became the Shindana Doll Factory. Sherman's poetic historical account of the people who migrated West from the South seeking better living conditions and what they found explains the conditions that led to the 1965 Watts Rising.

Learn, Baby, Learn: The Shindana Doll Factory’s Legacy of Black Pride tells the inspiring story of how a community’s despair sparked the creation of a company devoted to rebuilding hope—producing ethnically accurate dolls, action figures, and educational games that celebrated Black identity.

Hardcover and paperback versions are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from other book sellers.

Visit the author's website www.charlottewatsonsherman.com.

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All photos and text are copyrighted and cannot be used elsewhere unless permission is granted by the author.

©Black Doll Collecting/dbg

There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
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Thank you for reading. Comments that are not spam are appreciated. Spam comments will not be published. To contact me directly, use the About page link, which is also visible in Web View mode, find, and use the email link.

Visit and follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum for detailed installations of antique, vintage, modern, and one-of-a-kind black dolls. http://virtualblackdollmuseum.com

Buy Black Features a Chapter on Black Dolls

Aria S. Halliday, assistant professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies and Program in African American and Africana Studies at the University of Kentucky, has written a book that includes a chapter on Black dolls. "The second chapter is all about Black dolls, including Shindana and Mattel!"—Aria S. Halliday 

Buy Black: How Black Women Transformed US Black Culture "examines the role American Black women play in Black consumption in the US and worldwide, with a focus on their pivotal role in packaging Black feminine identity since the 1960s. Through an exploration of the dolls, princesses, and rags-to-riches stories that represent Black girlhood and womanhood in everything from haircare to Nicki Minaj’s hip-hop, Aria S. Halliday spotlights how the products created by Black women have furthered Black women’s position as the moral compass and arbiter of Black racial progress" (University of Illinois Press).

This 216-page book contains 34 color photographs and has a proposed publication date of 03/22/22. It can be preordered now.

In a personal note from the author dated October 14, 2021, Ms. Halliday wrote:

Hi Debbie! 

I hope all is well. 

I just wanted to say thanks again for your help with my research on Black Barbie! The cover is still being finalized, but the pre-order link for my book Buy Black: How Black Women Transformed US Pop Culture is available now: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=83zmd7ed9780252044274

Be well,

Aria

I left this post in draft mode until the cover image was available. Here again, is the buy link. I look forward to receiving my copy. 

dbg


There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
__________
Thank you for reading. Comments that are not spam are appreciated. Spam comments will not be published, so don't waste your time. To contact me directly regarding dolls or any of my posts, please use the contact form on the right of the home page, which is visible in "web view." A link to web viewing should be visible at the bottom of this page.

Check out what I am selling here. 
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Please follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black.
*New*Visit/Follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum
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Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls

Jim Toatley sculpted Shindana's Baby Nancy and other Shindana dolls.

This is a cross-post, which is also published in DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum.

Background: Sneha Sureshkumar was a 10th grader at the time she conducted extensive research for the documentary, "Understanding African American History Through the Eyes of Dolls." This was part of the History Day project in her state. Shindana’s Baby Nancy was her inspiration. Using Baby Nancy and other Black dolls, the documentary offers a glimpse at Black dolls as parallel communicators of the past and present African American experience. View the approximately 10-minute documentary below.

Link to the documentary here.

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After the documentary was graded, I received the most heartwarming email from Sneha. She wrote:

My entire works Primary source is you. Without you this project would never have been possible. You are my true inspiration. I have read everything you have in your blog. Your deep commitment to provide people an understanding on the difficulties communities face because of inadequate representation became my inspiration. Your blog and Jim Crow Museum have shaped my views on how I want to fight prejudice and racism. For that I am very grateful to you.

Sneha's documentary was one of the primary final winners at the state level. After the second round of judging, ultimately, she received "honorable mention" at the state level. I am proud of her efforts and hope that she will indeed fight prejudice and racism when and wherever it is recognized.

For more about this year's National History Day Project, navigate here.

dbg


There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
__________
Thank you for reading. To contact me, please use the contact form on the right of the home page, which is visible in "web view." A link to web viewing should be visible at the bottom of this page.

Check out what I am selling here. 
Check out my eBay listings here.
Please follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black.
*New*Visit/Follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum
Donate here to support this blog. Thank you!

Virtual Event: Black Toys and Toymakers, The Shindana Story

Baby Nancy, Shindana's First Doll

Virtual Event

February 26, 1 p.m. EST

In 2020, The Strong inducted Baby Nancy into its National Toy Hall of Fame. Crafted with Black children in mind, Baby Nancy is the first Black doll that found mass popularity at home and abroad. Learn about Shindana Toys—the Black-owned company behind the groundbreaking doll—at a special, virtual discussion with a panel of experts on its history and significance. Hosted by The Strong’s Christopher Bensch, the 40-minute discussion will delve into the story of Shindana Toys’ creation and evolution, their role in the community, their products, and examples of Black entrepreneurship. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

The above announcement is from The Strong Museum's website where you can visit to learn more about the event and to register here.

dbg


There are countless items to collect and write about. Black dolls chose me.
__________
Thank you for reading. To contact me, please use the contact form on the right of the home page, which is visible in "web view." A link to web viewing should be visible at the bottom of this page.

Check out what I am selling here. 
Check out my eBay listings here.
Please follow my sister blog Ebony-Essence of Dolls in Black.
*New*Visit/Follow DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum
Donate here to support this blog. Thank you!