Ashtray in the form of a “picaninny” boy eating a watermelon slice
date: label: Date
content: 1920-1929
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
notes: label: Description
content: A ceramic ashtray in the form of a “picaninny” boy eating a watermelon slice. The boy is in a seated position, with his bare feet holding the ashtray between his legs. He has curly black hair and is wearing a yellow shirt with red short pants. His lips are painted red and his teeth white. His chin is resting on a slice of watermelon that he is holding in both hands. The exterior rim of the ashtray is green, the top rim yellow and the interior red. Engraved lettering on the back reads [© / GU 18240]. The base of the ashtray is unfinished white ceramic.
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: 2007.7.81
objectType: label: Type
content: ashtrays
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: ceramic
label: Dimensions
content: 4 x 4 3/4 x 5 1/2 in. (10.2 x 12.1 x 14 cm)