Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object |
Doll |
Year Range from |
1895 |
Year Range to |
1920 |
Description |
Knit African-American "Golliwog" doll with white hat, red shirt with white collar, dark olive green pants with white stripe down outside of leg, blue tie at neck. |
Length (inches) |
13.000 |
Information |
The "Golliwog" was introduced by Florence Upton in her book "The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls," published in 1895. The Golliwog doll was based on a minstrel stereotype that portrayed black people as childlike buffoons. In children's books, Golliwog was silly and ugly at best, but at worst mean-spirited and not quite human. The first Golliwog dolls were made with rags by mothers for their children, based on Upton's book. They were later manufactured and very popular in the early 1900s. These dolls were not intentionally insensitive, but Golliwogs did reinforce racist ideas. |
Credit line |
Museum Purchase |
Catalog Number |
A3372 |