On View
Segregation Gallery
Exhibition
Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
Created by
Unidentified
Date
ca. 1935
Medium
paint on wood , metal
Dimensions
12 1/8 x 5 1/2 x 4 1/2 in. (30.8 x 14 x 11.4 cm)
Description
A painted, wooden walking toy in the form of a caricatured porter. The porter has a cartoonish face with large, round eyes and a wide white mouth. He is painted wearing bellhop uniform: a gold jacket with four (4) black buttons and the word [SAMBO] under his proper left breast pocket. A hat is painted on top of his head, gold with a red front. His torso is hinged at the waist to his cylindrical, red legs. The porter has large platform feet with curved bottoms that allows the toy to walk. The shoes are painted black, the backs gold. There are circular grooves cut into the porter's lower back.
Statement
Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
Collection title
Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
Classification
Toys and Games
Racist and Stereotypical Objects
Type
walking dolls
Topic
Caricature and cartoons
Stereotypes
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
Object number
2007.7.206
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f7647d00-4a80-494a-9c01-098e8653fd87

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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