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Cloth Diana Jemima Doll

Cloth Diana Jemima Doll


Title	Cloth Diana Jemima Doll
Coverage / Year	1910 to 1930; United States
Description	This is a printed cloth African American girl doll that is holding a smaller doll. The larger doll has printed dark eyes and red lips. She wears a polka-dotted coverall. "Diana Jemima" is written near the bottom of her backside. The smaller doll she is holding has a less realistic quality and is similar to a rag doll. It wears a red dress and a red bow in the hair.
Interpretation	This doll is a cut-out and sew cloth doll is the daughter of the fictional character Aunt Jemima. Aunt Jemima and her family which in addition to Diana included Mose and Wade, were an advertising scheme by the R.T. Davis Mill Co. of St. Joseph Missouri. The dolls could be obtained by sending one box top from a flour package and 24 cents in stamps. Advertising with cloth dolls became very popular between 1890-1942 and symbolizes the continuing growth of a mass consumer U.S. market. The design of the dolls changed as printing methods improved, therefore making it very difficult to this Diana Jemima doll. There is much controversy that surrounds the Jemima family and many believe they perpetuate stereotypes about African Americans.
Lesson Plans / Themes	American Communities in History; Communities and Geography; How we learn about communities;
Learning Standards	16 History; 18 Social Systems;
Author or Creator	R.T. Davis Mill Company
Subject / Keywords	Advertising; Rag dolls; R.T. Davis Mill Company; African American; Stereotypes; American pop culture
Collection Publisher	Early American Museum
Further Information	For any further information related to this record, please contact the Collection Publisher. See http://images.library.uiuc.edu/projects/tdc for more information about this project.
Rights Management Statement	http://images.library.uiuc.edu/projects/tdc/conditions.htm
Resource Identifier	1992.016.0102
CONTENTdm file name	90625172422004_92.16.102.jpg

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