- Created by
- Childcraft, American
- Date
- 1968
- Medium
- rubber and paint
- Dimensions
- H x W x D: 8 11/16 × 4 15/16 × 3 7/16 in. (22 × 12.5 × 8.8 cm)
- Caption
- Created for use by children’s counselors and therapists, this hand puppet is part of a set that depicts two five-person family units; one family is African American while the other is Caucasian. Being able to use puppets that reflect a child’s personal race and gender is important for this kind of therapy to be successful. It is also significant for children’s self-esteem and learning cues that the African American dolls show a complete nuclear family unit, wearing clothes that communicate middle class respectability.
- Description
- A father figure painted rubber hand puppet by Childcraft. With his arms raised, the black-haired father puppet wears a gray suit jacket, red tie, and white shirt. His blazer features two waist pockets and two buttons on each long sleeve. He has short black hair, black eyes, and red lips. The back bottom of his blazer shows the maker's mark: CHILDCRAFT / [copyright symbol] 1968. His sand colored rubber interior has three finger holes.
- Place used
- Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Tools and Equipment
- Toys and Games
- Topic
- Children
- Communication
- Education
- Families
- Identity
- Mental health
- Play
- Race relations
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Janice Elzey & Steve Schnabl
- Object number
- 2019.81.2.1
- Restrictions & Rights
- © Childraft 1968
- Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




