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
Dimensions
13 7/8 x 5 1/4 x 5 1/2 in. (35.2 x 13.3 x 14 cm)
Description
A painted, wooden walking toy in the form of a caricatured porter. The figure has a black cartoonish face with white eyes, a large, red mouth and white teeth. The top of his head is also black, with two orange stripes on the proper left. He is painted wearing a red jacket, white shirt and a black tie. His legs are cylindrical and painted orange. The figure's proper right foot is missing. The proper left foot has a flat top and curved bottom with the front of the foot painted orange, and the back painted black. The back of his head is painted orange at the top with a red body and orange legs. There is a broken orange wooden post coming out of 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
2007.7.207
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5dfa67d4c-3b6b-403d-93d8-092dc65c37e5

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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