Handmade "Mammy" doll
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1915
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Owned by
content: Helen Drew Colison, American, 1907 - 2004
notes: label: Caption
content: This doll belonged to Helen Drew Colison (10/24/1907 - 1/16/2004), a white woman born and raised in Washington, DC. The family believes that either Helen's mother or father gave her the doll when she was between 7 and 10 years old, sometime between 1914 and 1917. The doll's creator and the history of its origins are unknown.
label: Caption
content: This doll is based on the real-life stereotypes of 19th century African American women, identified as “Mammies,” and seen as loyal servants whose primary responsibilities would have been the care of the white children and other household duties.
label: Description
content: A canvas doll in the form of a stereotypical "Mammy" character owned by a white child.
label: Description
content: This hand-sewn doll is constructed of a stuffed, rough cotton canvas material in dark brown. She wears a bright shawl above her oat-colored three-quarter sleeve shirt and long plaid skirt and a plaid headscarf. Her facial features are hand-painted large dark eyes, a wide nose and smile. She still has one bronze-colored hoop earring attached to her proper left ear. Her ankles are taped and she is depicted as having black (canvas painted) shoes.
label: Statement
content: 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.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Caricature and cartoons
label: Topic
content: Children
label: Topic
content: Play
label: Topic
content: Stereotypes
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Toys and Games
label: Classification
content: Racist and Stereotypical Objects
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Helen D. Colison
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2021.34
objectType: label: Type
content: dolls
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: cotton (fiber) with metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 15 3/4 × 12 5/8 × 2 3/8 in. (40 × 32 × 6 cm)