Collection: Unboxed: The Story of Black Toys and Childhood in America

Welcome to “Unboxed”, where we explore the powerful truth that play is political, and toys are tools of self-worth. In the shadows of a segregated America, Black children often played with toys that distorted their image, crude caricatures like the mammy, the pickaninny, and the minstrel, designed to mock rather than uplift. But even in that world, our people pushed back. We crafted hand-sewn rag dolls that looked like our babies, with brown skin and braided hair. These weren’t just toys, they were declarations: we are beautiful, we exist, and we matter. Then came moments of revolution; the introduction of the first Black G.I. Joe in 1965, a bold move that said Black boys, too, could be heroes in uniform.

Trailblazers like Kitty Black Perkins, the genius behind the first Black Barbie, brought elegance, confidence, and soul to Black girlhood. Companies like Shindana Toys, born from the Watts Rebellion, and Olmec Toys, created by visionary Yla Eason, filled shelves with dolls and action figures that reflected our heritage, our history, and our hope. These toys weren’t just fun, they were freedom in miniature. They taught our children to love themselves in a world that often refused to. This exhibit tells the story of resilience through play, reminding us that every doll, every superhero, every brown-skinned figure was a step toward reclaiming the right to dream. Because when a Black child sees themselves as worthy of love, beauty, and greatness (even in a toy) the revolution has already begun.