About Doll: Black Dolls

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The William Grant Still Arts Center is in the process of selection for its 27th Annual Black Doll Show. This year's show "The dolls of color in the world." The Black doll show was inspired by a doll test conducted by Mamie and Kenneth Clark. The tests concluded that because of social stigma, many black children preferred white dolls over black dolls. This test has become evidence in civil rights prosecutions. The Clarks become expert witnesses in Brown v. Board of Education and contributed to the historic decision to desegregate schools. The doll test was conducted in 2006 by filmmaker Kiri Davis 17 years, unfortunately with the same results. Inspired by the test of the doll, legendary artist / curator Cecil Fergerson Black Doll show started in 1982. Wanting to change the negative self-image, Fergerson collected dolls made by hand by artists across the country in a single exhibition. Through its many transformations, The Black Doll Show was a celebration of Black Dolls of slavery, Jim Crow, free running, music, dance, hip hop and more. This year's theme, "The dolls of color in the world," was chosen by director Joyce Maddox. Ms. Maddox: "The goal of this year, the exhibition is to bridge cultural barriers and to explore the history of the African diaspora through dolls. All dolls are specially loaned for the exhibition. Artists will have the opportunity to sell their dolls or just the display. We would like the dolls that represent all people of color. We are interested in dolls that improvements and work to illuminate our collective image of people of color everywhere, China, Mexico, Indonesia, Egypt, Haiti, etc ... We would like many artists of dolls made by hand as possible, but also collection commercial dolls.