555 research outputs found
Sort by
African Diaspora Male and Female Team Dolls
No full textAfrican Diaspora Male and Female Team Dolls Series XI. Box 11
A & B A. female 13” high 7” wide B. Male 13” high 7” wide
1970
United States
Vinyl, Plastic, Cloth, and Mixed- Medium
These dolls were created to represent the African-American Movement to take pride in their African Diaspora Heritage. The dolls wear generic African patterns since many African-Americans did not know from where in Africa their ancestors originated. The dolls attempted to have the dolls look like a person who has an African-American heritage in an authentic identity with brown complexions and soft features.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1069/thumbnail.jp
Aruba Tourist Child Rag Doll
No full textAruba Tourist Rag Doll Series XI. Box 11
11½” high 8½” wide
1985
Aruba
Cloth, vinyl, and mixed medium
This doll follows the tradition of dolls made to represent islanders for outside tourist. This doll is dressed in traditional clothes and represents what people who are not of the African Diaspora may think an African Diaspora island girl may look like. The doll is a stereotypical representation with dark skin and flowing clothing, and has bright colors with her hair in traditional “pickianniny” hairstyle.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1072/thumbnail.jp
Kuyu Cult Head
No full textCult Head
20 high
Circa 19th Century
Kuyu, Congo, Africa
Wood, Pigment
A cult head carved of wood. The head has a tripartite coiffure, an oval mouth with exposed dentition and geometric & zig-zag carving to indicate scarification around the eyes. There is also scarification on the coiffure, cheeks and neck. A red pigment is applied throughout the piece.https://dclu.langston.edu/africanartcollection_14_15/1004/thumbnail.jp
Hemba Ancestor Figure (Singiti)
No full textAncestor Figure
23 1/2 high
Circa 19th Century
Hemba, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Wood
A nude male figure carved of wood, raised eyebrows and oval eyes with a beaded motif for a beard. The tubular neck and hunched shoulders lead to arms which are at the sides of the figure. The blunt hands touch each side of the waist and the abdomen is bulbous with a protruding navel. The knees are slightly bent and the feet are flat, resting on an oval base. The rear head area is cross-shaped with indentations in the middle of the cross pattern. There are some losses in the facial area.Among the Hemba, ancestor effigies are called Singiti. These figures were hidden within the family compound in a separate shrine. In ancestral rites, the sculptures were the focus of invocations recalling heroic deeds of the ancestor. The pose of this figure may reflect wisdom and interior calm; the coiffure signifies the directions and crossroads where spirits gather. The swelling of the stomach has associations with lineage continuity, but in general, such figures embody intelligence, strength, energy and fertility.https://dclu.langston.edu/africanartcollection_14_15/1019/thumbnail.jp
Jamaican Island Doll
No full textJamaican Island Doll. Series I, Box 1
13½ ” high 5” wide
Unknown Date
Islands
Cloth
Similar to African-Americans, many islands have people with an African Diaspora background. These people of the Islands, such as Jamaica, have slavery and colonization in their history. Many Islanders sell dolls made from materials available to the artist. Islanders produce the dolls to reflect how they think outlanders imagine islanders to appear. The majority of the dolls take on the stereotypical blackface looks of dark skin and red lips. This doll combines authentic and stereotypical looks. She wears a modern school uniform, has slight red-lips, medium brown complexion skin, and a medium build. She is made of cloth.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1008/thumbnail.jp
1950\u27s Topsy-Turvy Hand-Made Doll
No full textTopsy-Turvy Hand-Made Doll. Series X. Box 10
7” high and 6” wide
1950
United States of America
Cloth
This hand-made, cloth, Topsy-Turvy doll was created in the 1950’s during a time of segregation. Topsy-Turvy dolls, are dolls that share the same body but have different faces. The dolls were sewn by African-American women who were employed as Domestic Workers in White European-American households. One face of the doll was a White European-American child and the other face of the doll was an African-American child. The child would choose the face of the doll based upon the race of the people that the child was playing around. If the audience was the family and the guest of the household the child’s parent was working for, the doll’s face was White European-American. If the child was playing by themselves or around their family, then the doll’s face was African-American. These dolls were first created in the 1850’s during the time of slavery, but they continued to be made for the segregated south up until the 1960’s. This doll has a black face made with black cloth and a white face made of white cloth. The doll faces share a red dress. The doll with the black face has bright red lips and a bright head hair wrap. This image suggest that the child may be expected to grow up and become a “Mammy” figure, as the doll shares the characteristics of the stereotypical “Mammy”, which are; dark skin, full red lips, bulging eyes, and wearing flowing clothes creating a full body frame. Finally, she wears a head scarf on her head.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1016/thumbnail.jp
Marionette Doll
No full textMarionette Doll. Doll A. Series XI. Box 11
13” high and 5” wide
1940
Islands
Wood, cloth, and other mixed mediums of paper-mache and plastic
This doll is one of two puppets or Marionettes. The doll follows the traditions of the black-face entertainer. The doll has dark skin, bulging eyes, and an exaggerated large nose, plus large red lips. The doll wears bright colored clothes that are long trousers and a short coat. This is a stereotypical outfit of the black-face minstrel. This doll is holding maracas to show that he is an entertainer.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1018/thumbnail.jp
Kenyan Special Edition Barbie
No full textKenyan Special Edition Barbie Series XI. Box 6
12” high 5” wide
Unknown Year
Multinational
Mixed Medium Plastic, Vinyl, Cloth and other Materials
This doll was created by the Mattel Corporation to recognize that the African and African -American populations are diverse in looks and styles. This doll wears tribal clothing, short hair, light brown skin, and soft facial features. The doll is a representation of a rural tribal person from Kenya but because of the generic nature of the tribal clothing this doll could represent any person from the African Diaspora.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1037/thumbnail.jp
Kenzie Doll
No full textKenzie Doll Series X. Box 10
11½” high and 3” wide
1990
United States
Mixed medium, cloth, plastic, and vinyl
This doll is an African- American fashion doll that was created by the Avon Corporation in the 1990\u27s. This doll is a generic representation of African-American girls as part of mainstream culture during this time period. She follows the tradition of the Fashion Doll format and is the Avon Corporation version of the Mattel doll Christie , “Barbie\u27s African-American friend. The doll follows the trend of a European model doll with darker skin. Kenzie has dark skin, a thin small body frame, and wears make-up including pink lipstick. She wears a pink formal gown. Unlike other companies of the 1990\u27s, who were trending toward making dolls accurate representations of African- Americans; this doll was made to sell to young African-American girls Avon products. The biggest product would hopefully be Avon\u27s make-up. One place a young girl may wear her first make-up is a special occasion. This signifies the purpose of having Kenzie wear the pink formal gown.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1038/thumbnail.jp
Unknown Island Doll
No full textUnknown Island Doll Series III Box 3
10½” high 10½” wide
Unknown Date
Unknown Island
Cloth, Plastic, Vinyl, and mixed medium
This doll is a stereotypical Island Doll. This doll wears bright colored clothes, large earrings, and a head piece for her hair. She has medium brown skin and bright colored makeup. Her origin is unknown, but she appears to be a doll that native island people would sell to tourist.https://dclu.langston.edu/eflewisdollcollection/1040/thumbnail.jp