Imagine live beautiful black women packaged for over-the-counter resale. This would be absolutely unbelievable, especially for men who would surely line up for miles! Well, this is almost the case. Read our interview with Dana Hill, founder of the Black Doll Affair, and find out more about her "Black Dolls" - a group of sisters who exemplify both physical and spiritual beauty and know how to pass it on to the next generation of Black Dolls.
Q: Describe the Black Doll study conducted by Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark.
A: "In the 1939-1940 'Doll Tests,' psychologists Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark used four plastic, diaper-clad dolls, identical except for color. They showed the dolls to black children between the ages of three and seven and asked them questions to determine racial perception and preference. Almost all of the children readily identified the race of the dolls. However, when asked which they preferred, the majority selected the white doll and attributed positive characteristics to it. The Clarks also gave the children outline drawings of a boy and girl and asked them to color the figures the same color as themselves. Many of the children with dark complexions colored the figures with a white or yellow crayon. The Clarks concluded that 'prejudice, discrimination, and segregation' caused black children to develop a sense of inferiority and self-hatred." This excerpt and additional information about the Doll Tests can be found at http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/brown/brown-brown.html.
Q: What emotional impact did Kiri Davis' 2005 repetition of Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark's Black Doll study have on you?
A: Albeit disheartening, the old and new doll tests came as no shock to me. What proved to be emotionally disturbing was the fact that so much time had passed and no significant positive impact had been made on collective African American self-esteem.
Within and outside my race, I've always been aware of the color standards. As far back as I can remember, I was ridiculed for being "blue-black or too black." While watching the "new" doll test on the Oprah Winfrey Show, I was empowered to eliminate inferiority and created the Black Doll Affair. In my teens, I blossomed into a beautiful young girl. However, I was unable to get a modeling agency to represent me, so I learned to represent myself. It turned me into the publicist and marketer that I am today. To exemplify my ability to conduct corporate campaigns, I embarked on a self-promotional publicity stunt to advertise my "black beauty." I wanted conspicuous focus on my dark skin and African features. I proceeded to purchase a thirty-two foot billboard on the corner of 52nd Street and Broadway in New York City's Time Square.
Ironically, it was near Sean John's "black power" billboard. My billboard simply read: "Got Spokesmodel? Dana Hill!" It was up for three months, and although I received many phone calls from other dark skin women expressing their gratitude in finally seeing a girl like themselves in such a bold and beautiful campaign, I didn't get one job offer. During this time, a rich bachelor also purchased a billboard to find a date and he garnered appearances on all the local New York City and even national morning talk shows. I guess his story was more interesting. It is estimated that 1.6 million people pass through Times Square each day. My billboard was up for three months and I did not receive one job offer, media inquiry, or opportunity. Doesn't that speak volumes about the American marketplace? There continues to remain a significant amount of negative African American images in the media and a borderline omission of us in the pages of beauty magazines. Black beauty is far too often represented by images of lighter skin women. Those of us with darker skin or more African features are not equally represented. We need to reverse the cycle of internalized racism within communities of color, and challenge the larger society, corporations and institutions to expand their ideas of beauty.This is the mission of the Black Doll Affair.
Q:
What impact did this "new" Doll Study have on your immediate network of family, friends and colleagues?
A: Well, I can't speak for them. However, judging by the success we've enjoyed in doll donations, I'd say the impact was profound. Often times, women come up and share their stories of either never having a black doll to play with or never wanting to get the black doll for Christmas. Throughout the year, the Black Dolls are called into the community to participate in philanthropic affairs and to spread our special message of beauty. Everyday, someone calls or emails to say thank you for creating The Black Doll Affair.
Q: Can you describe the charter of the Black Doll Affair?
A: The purpose of the Black Dolls is to send two strong messages through the toy black doll:
- "You're perfect as you are!"
- "You are not BAD because you were born Black. You were born black and beautiful. Poetically speaking, 'Love the skin you're in. Be proud of hue!'
Q: What have been some of the "Affairs" the Black Dolls have organized and participated in over the past few years?
A: To date we've donated almost 1,000 toy black dolls! For each child given a doll, our message is that the doll was made to look like her because she is beautiful. We (The Black Dolls) admonish the girl to pick up the doll and see her beauty in its reflection. We never "drop off" dolls as we're often asked to do. A mother can never "pick up" a doll for a child that isn't there. When those types of requests come in, we simply say, "The Black Dolls purpose is to be beautiful living examples of black beauty. When we're gone, the donated toy dolls represents us and delivers our message of beauty." The Affairs of the Black Dolls are much more than giving away a toy. Since the beginning, we've conducted teen workshops on the importance of self-worth and loving hue. Our philanthropic efforts have included donating thousands of dollars to finding cures for Aids, Breast and Childhood Cancer. Within our sisterhood, we support individual business and personal endeavor. The Black Doll Affair, is a family that plays together! A family that plays together, stays together.
Q: How moving was it for you when you gave that first black doll to a deserving little girl? What was her reaction?
A: Well, I don't know that it was the first doll that I ever gave away, but during last year's Black Doll Christmas Deliveries, there was a little girl who kept asking me WHY we were giving these dolls. It was clear she had never been given a gift without reason. She was having a difficult time processing our delivery. Why would a bunch of strangers gather at Christmas to give her a toy? "Are you with Santa? Are you from my school? Do you work here? Are you an elf?" She had so many questions. Initially, I didn't know where her questions were coming from. Perplexed, she threw her hands in the air, "Then why?" 'Why what?" I asked. "Why are you doing this for me? You don't even know me!" That exact moment was special for me because that precious little girl wasn't the only one receiving a gift. God was blessing me with the opportunity to be the FIRST person to ever give this child something, without reason. That's a gift I will always treasure.
Q: What upcoming events are being planned by the Black Doll Affair?
A: We've been busy this summer. On June 13th, we participated in a Focus Group study for a local company rolling out a line of toy Princess Black Dolls. Subsequently, we took our Baby Dolls (the little girls) to see the play Little Princess. Then, on June 20th we traveled to Columbus, Georgia, and participated in the Foxie 105 FM Family Day in the Park where we gave 105 toy black dolls. That was a great feeling. It was like Christmas in June! Our calendar is full for July. We have a Doll-bonding Manicure Affair on July 11th. We're participating in a Breast Cancer Fundraiser on the 18th. On the 24th of July, we're getting together to meet and greet new members at a Black Doll Guidelines cocktail reception. And finally, on the 26th of July, the Black Dolls are meeting in my secret garden for a Sunrise for Meditation sacredly named "Sssh".. We're very busy being "Pretty...Philanthropic!"
Q: After seeing your web site home page, you have to tell us about the concept of retail packaged black women.
A: It's exactly that - a conceptual package of black women. We annually orchestrate a publicity photo shoot using select Black Dolls. That special time of the year affords The Black Dolls the opportunity to be a part of how our image is portrayed, packaged and publicized. From this photo shoot, we choose one image to represent The Black Doll Affair for the calendar year. The current photo on our homepage is the 2009 edition. And the message was simple and clear: All ages, all sizes, all black dolls are beautiful! For the 2010 photo shoot, our creative directors are working on something a lot more intrinsic. It's too early to share, but it's quite exciting! Keep checking the blackdollaffair.com home page.
Q: How many men has this image attracted to your organization - all philanthropist, of course?
A: Aargh, many men come on board for obvious reasons - to get into the dollhouse to play with the Dolls! They're so transparent. But Mr. Raymond Leslie in our Atlanta Chapter and Mr. Muhammad Saadiq in our Florida Chapter are active, committed Brothas who play an integral role within our organization! After all, who better to remind a black girl of her beauty than a black man? Remember, the first man a little girl falls in love with is her father or father-figure role model. With an epidemic of absent fathers and the resultant diminution of positive black male role models within many black families, to the Black Dolls and the Baby Dolls we serve, these two men are genuine and precious jewels!
Q: How can people join and participate with the Black Doll Affair?
A: It's easy to "Be a Doll, give a Doll." This is the Black Doll's slogan. So follow these steps:
- Go to blackdollaffair.com and select the Chapter that you would like to join (currently Atlanta or Florida). When a chapter is chosen, the potential member is directed to the Black Dolls Clubhouse at Meetup.com.
- When you arrive at our clubhouse on Meetup.com, create a profile by uploading a personal photo and answering all the requested profile questions. When this part is completed, the potential new member is now a 48 Hour Clubhouse Guest.
- Return to blackdollaffair.com and click the link Become a Black Doll.
- Band together with us, that is to say, commit to our mission by paying a nominal annual membership of $10.
- Now it's official, you're a Black Doll!