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

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Check out this Shani and Friends Video Installation

Doll-friend Julius M. shared a link to a Shani and Friends video that includes information about the Shani line and other Black Barbies and friends of Barbie. I  embedded the video in DeeBeeGee's Virtual Black Doll Museum as part of a three-day installation about the Marvelous World of Shani and Friends. Check it out here.

Thank you again, Julius, I thoroughly enjoyed the video.

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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!

Another Black Doll Beauty by Sarah Niemela

A lovely polymer clay doll by Sarah Niemela

I am a member of the private Facebook group, Sarah Niemela's Black Doll Beauties. Last week, Sarah posted photos of the doll shown above. The black-doll enthusiast in me had to have her. I thought she would display well with Aisha whose clothing scheme is the same. 

Sarah's description of the doll in the Facebook post reads:

She is 8” tall... she is fully sculpted with Cernit...a strong beautiful polymer clay. She stands on a round base and is affixed to the base. She has a sculpted bodice and a silk chiffon skirt. Her hair is fleece..a natural fiber from sheep. I molded her face and hands from one of my sculpted molds.

Additionally, she has light brown eyes. The bodice of the dress is sculpted and painted clay. Ribbons with beads accent the shoulders of the dress. The headband, waist of the dress, and the base are trimmed with decorative ribbon.

A thank you card from Sarah

A lovely handwritten "thank you" card accompanied this beautiful doll. (A "thank you" card was included in Aisha's package, and I've modified that post to include an image of the card). 

I love the doll images on the front and inside of the card!

In this doll's card, after thanking me for the purchase, Sarah wrote that she can't wait to see what I name her.

After recently watching Coming 2 America (I loved the costumes in that movie), I remember intently listening to Prince Akeem speak his daughters' names during the opening scene: Meeka, Oma, and Tinashe. Meeka, the oldest was gorgeous. Oma (Eddie Murphy's daughter in real life is gorgeous, too); she was the middle daughter. Tinashe (pronounced tee-naa-shai, or change the "i" in shai to a "y" to visualize the pronunciation better, tee-naa-shay) was the youngest princess. Since this doll represents a little girl who looks like a princess to me, I have named her Princess Tinashe! In the Shona language spoken in Zimbabwe, Tinashe means "God is with us." The name is perfect for my doll.

In the movie, Princess Tinashe was played by young actress Akiley Love. I almost named the doll Akiley, but I decided Tinashe and its meaning are more suitable. 

Enjoy the following pictures I took of my little princess alone and with her sister, Aisha. (By the way, Aisha is a Swahili name that means "living prosperously.") 

Gorgeous!

I love the natural fibers of her hair.

In the back of the dress, a pearl and rhinestone button accents the ribbon at the waist. Sarah's signature strip is attached to the waist.

Tinashe's shoes are painted. The permanently attached base has decorative ribbon trim. The bottom of the base is lined with teal felt.

Tinashe poses with her sister, Aisha, in these two final photographs.

Aren't they lovely?

They are a precious pair (or trio if you count Aisha's dolly).

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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!