Jig doll in the form of a caricatured porter
Object Details
- Description
- A wooden jig doll in the form of a caricatured porter. The doll's face is painted black, with white eyes and a wide, white mouth. The doll's arms are jointed at the shoulder and his legs are jointed at the hip and knees. His legs and feet are unpainted wood. A dowel has been inserted into a round hole in the bottom of the torso, attaching the legs. The dolls face, hands, and lower legs are painted black. His hat, torso, arms, upper legs, and feet are painted white. He has unevenly shaped eyes. The doll's torso is painted as if he is wearing a white double-breasted jacket and white bowtie. The jacket has six (6) black buttons painted on, in two (2) rows of three (3). There is a round black button painted on each wrist and two (2) black buttons painted on the outside of each upper leg. There is a round hole in the center of the doll's back.
- Statement
- Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
- Data Source
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Date
- ca. 1935
- Object number
- 2007.7.267
- Created by
- Unidentified
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
- Type
- dolls
- Medium
- paint on wood and metal
- Dimensions
- 13 5/8 x 3 1/8 x 2 3/4 in. (34.6 x 7.9 x 7 cm)
- See more items in
- National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
- Collection title
- Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
- Classification
- Toys and Games
- Racist and Stereotypical Objects
- Exhibition
- Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
- On View
- NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 2, C 2053
- Topic
- African American
- Caricature and cartoons
- Stereotypes
- Record ID
- nmaahc_2007.7.267
