BLACK HISTORY ACTION ITEM: POST DATED 12 FEBRUARY 2022
The National Black Doll Museum had to shut down due to Covid in 2020. They were hoping to reopen this year, but they’ve lost their physical building.
They’ve found a place that’s like “hell yeah, we want the National Black Doll Museum! We have land we’re literally looking to develop for cultural improvement and preservation!” in Attleboro, MA. But to make that happen, they need $1.5 million dollars for a building. Their collection dates back to the 1700s, and dolls that old will need special lighting, climate control, knowledgeable curators, etc. to help preserve them–plus of course they need staff, display cases, you know, stuff. They want to crowdfund the first $100k this February to make that happen. As of the date of this post, they have 16 days to go and have raised only $27,435. While the minimum donation listed is $25, I checked–it is actually possible to make a lower donation if you only have $5 or $10 to spare. (There’s a custom screen after you select your donation level.)
All too often, when we discuss history at large we cut out the part of women and girls–preserving dolls is part of preserving that history. And all too often when we discuss Black history in America, we kind of go “they were slaves and then they weren’t” and ignore that while they were slaves, they were also people, and that their existence was commodified beyond just being cheap labor. (And that there were free Black people, and that those people were also taken advantage of, and and and….)
Let’s celebrate Black history. Let’s celebrate Black play. Let’s celebrate Black women and children. Let’s celebrate the visibility of Black people, as people, for 300 years.
Let’s get this museum’s doors OPEN AGAIN!
(via dat2ndaccount97)
