In this post from Ms. Magazine, entitled ‘If These Dolls Could Talk’: Art Exhibit Explores Role of Black Dolls in U.S. History and Challenges Racial Stereotypes" by Sheila Wickouski, readers can learn a great deal about Black lives and American History.
Dolls have always held an important role in childhood and often represent the ideals we wish to pass on to our children. This article covers an exhibition from The New York Historical Society and covers topics of American History, Race and Gender.
This video is short and can give teachers from elementary grades through high school grades ideas on how they might look at something as commonplace as a toy or craft to examine what it says about race and gender in America.
It includes references to Harriet Jacob's Autobiography Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. as well as W.E.B. Dubois, Aunt Jemima, The first Black American Girl Doll Addy Walker, and Thurgood Marshall's use of the The Doll Test in the Brown v. Board of Education.
Read the full article here: https://msmagazine.com/2022/04/21/new-york-historical-society-black-dolls-feminist-art/