Coin bank in the form of a "pickaninny" boy eating a watermelon slice
date: label: Date
content: 20th century
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
notes: label: Description
content: A cast iron coin bank in the form of a "pickaninny" boy eating a watermelon slice. The boy is standing on a tiered rectangular base. He is holding a slice of watermelon up to his mouth with both hands. The watermelon is painted red and green. The boy is wearing only gray shorts. A rectangular slot for inserting coins is located in the center of his upper back. The bank is made of two halves (front and back), joined in the center. There are two (2) metal screws on the back of the figure, one (1) in the center of his head and one (1) on the proper right calf. There is a round indentation on the proper left calf. An additional two (2) screws are located on the bottom of the base, under the figure's feet.
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.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Caricature and cartoons
label: Topic
content: Domestic life
label: Topic
content: Stereotypes
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
label: Classification
content: Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor
label: Classification
content: Racist and Stereotypical Objects
label: Exhibition
content: Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 2, C 2053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.7.221
objectType: label: Type
content: banks (containers)
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: cast iron
label: Dimensions
content: 8 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (21.6 x 8.6 x 5.7 cm)