The Black Doll and You

I am more than happy to be the first to comment about the black doll. Not only did my parents surround me with black dolls as a little girl but I continue to do the same for my own daughter (6 years old now). You guys hit it on the head when you say that the black doll invokes tradition, fantasy and identity. It makes us confident in ourselves and affirms that its OK to bring our color, experience and culture to humanity's rainbow.

This is a great site. Keep up the good work!

I am the black doll, the black doll is me!! Just like others I love to see my image reflected in the dolls that I see. I can identify with the doctor doll, the president doll, the nurse doll, the engineer doll because it looks like me. It's so important for our little girls to have these positive images!!

I am proud to be a black doll collector, I wish there were more Black Doll Shows, especially on the West Coast. So sad I miss the one in N.Y., someone should have a calendar of black doll shows and events listed through out the year. It should list the vendors and email addresses of who's attending as this will help others who plan to attend.

We are a rainbow of colors which makes the doll collecting even more fun and exciting. Excellent Job, thanks for sharing.

Phyllis,

Thank you for your contribution to the discussion. We hope to offer a Black Doll Show on the West Coast in 2010 by either partnering with an existing organization or producing the show ourselves. Rest assured, you will have your wish yet!

I collect black dolls because I like dolls that look like me. I am not an artist, but I would like to help doll designers with ideas such as pierced ears, eyeglasses, more than one type of style, and length of hair - like real little black girls. Black dolls should be given to your daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and goddaughters so that they'll realize that dolls that look like them are good enough to be included.

When I was little, there were few Black dolls. I subsequently tired of dolls at a young age. When I reached my 20's and discovered the plethora of ethnic dolls that were then on the market, I became a born-again doll enthusiast. I love to see our hues, noses, lips, and hair reflected in dolls. They become constant reminders of how varied and beautiful we are. To me, the dolls represent the fact that these traits are now valued and celebrated enough to be immortalized in 3-dimensional forms. As an adult, my home is FULL of all types of ethnic dolls as art. Looking at them every day makes me smile.

Hello to one and all,

I collect dolls and am partial to ethnic dolls. I would love to acquire a black Patty Play Pal doll for my collection. I live in the mid-west and it is difficult to find quality black dolls. I have introduced my grand-daughter to the wonderful world of dolls. I think she likes them, though she's a little rough with them right now. I hope as she gets older (she's 20 months) she'll learn to be gentle with them. It is wonderful to see so many Black dolls for our children to choose from. They are an art form that appeals to all ages.

As a child I did not own a Black doll so I collect them because of their affect on my spirit. They totally represent all the positive attributes of Black folk and our history as they reflect the beauty, diversity, peace, humor, grace and dignity that is certainly fading in our communities today.

I stumbled on the site today and have been totally engulfed. I was a collector of others, stuff animals, and clowns. Looking for something not knowing what. At the age of 18 purchased my first black soft sculpture in Miami and fell in love. This is it. Even traveling to Cleveland , Ga to purchase a black cloth Cabbage Patch doll. I say all of that to say, thank you for this forum.

I didn't see many black dolls in stores growing up. Most of the dolls I did see were caricatures of black people (blackface minstrels, Golliwogs, Li'l Black Sambo, Jemimas), none of which looked like anyone I knew. The only realistic dolls I saw were the ones my Granny made. That's one of the main reasons I make dolls of all colors and cultures. Every child should have a toy that looks like them or allows them to imagine a goal for life.

As a child of the 50's and 60's and growing up living with my white father, but born to a black mother, I didn't see a black doll until I was in my teens. One of the reasons I am a doll collector today is because I had tried to find that first black doll that was given to me when I was 14 years old, by my mother. I called her Bonnie. She was beautiful, a 32 inch walking doll with brown complexion, and short black hair. I never knew what had happened to her. I am still looking for my Bonnie, today. I have found so many beautiful black dolls, but none will take the place of Bonnie! Thanks for this website, which I just found today through Dolls Magazine. Thank you to all those involved!

I have always had Black dolls, thanks to a mother who would accept nothing less! What beauties they were, and still are!! I am proud to have continued the tradition with my daughter, and still later, my two granddaughters! My grandson loves to play with his black "action figures!"