Getting rid of a golliwog doll.

[postman]

Florence Kate Upton
American cartoonist
Description
Florence Kate Upton was an American-born English cartoonist and author most famous for her Golliwog series of children's books. Wikipedia


I don't think this lady thought she was a racist when in 1894 she wrote her first Golliwog book.In 1910 Robertsons jam used it to sell jam and people collected the tokens to buy badges.So are we saying all those who read the stories from 1894 and bought jam from 1910 are racist.Trouble is today we have too many snowflakes.

 

[postman]

Following on from this.I checked up on a prog my mum and dad loved.The Black and White Minstrel Show.Broadcast from 1958 - 1978.Removed from telly for offending a few.Well if my dead parents could see what is laughingly called entertainment now,reality shows,muscle bound spray tanned loud mouth yobs.Females with botoxed faces orange with fake tan.Big boobs flashing arses and nothing between their ears with mouths like sewers .I know which prog i would watch with them without squirming.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

My s-i-l died recently and we are in the process of clearing her house. She had a collection of old teddy bears, several Stieff, and one large still boxed Golliwog doll.

We are giving all her property to the charity of the Hospice that looked after her at the end, but are a bit worried if it would be OK to give the Gollie to them given the sensitivity to these dolls nowadays. My wife doesn't want to just dump it.

Are we being a bit over-sensitive or should we just be happy if it could raise some money for the Hospice?

How close are you to Coventry? I'd be happy to take it off your hands if you have problems disposing of it.

 

[steveindenmark]

I collect Teddy bears. If you want them well looked after. I may be interested. PM me and we can discuss it.

 

[steveindenmark]

They are racist caricatures. They were never acceptable to begin with, and while we had the reasonable excuse of not knowing any better as kids, we don't now. And really, the 'wasn't it great?' nostalgia is not harmless fun in this context. Just get rid of it.

I have never known anyone buy a golliwog with a racist thought in their head. My first toy was a golliwog and I am certain my mother was not grooming me for the KKK. It was a comforter and I never related it to a person. I doubt if Robertsons based an empire on being bigots and its strange that ths subject has only arisen since we have become politically correct. For me common sense beats political correctness anytime. Sell the golliwog for charity and let someone cherish it for a few more years.

Now lets talk about Barbie. How sexist is that?

 

[theclaud]

Reactionary White Men* See No Problem With Racist Caricatures Shock.

[*edit: and Women - I've just looked back through the whole thread]

 

[Levo-Lon]

The offended have spoken..

Lol, its a feckin doll nothing more

 

[Rocky]

I have never known anyone buy a golliwog with a racist thought in their head.

My father did.



Edit: and that’s Hume’s problem of induction for you.

 

[mudsticks]

The offended have spoken..

Lol, its a feckin doll nothing more

Maybe do some research on this before you so massively display your own ignorance, and disrespect.

The golli*** symbolises an offensive, historical dehumanisation of black people, to many black people.

Maybe not to all of them, cos you see they aren't a homogenised 'one thought' group, like any other.

But the whole issue is problematic enough, to enough poc that we might want to listen, and consider it, show some sensitivity even ??

That's kinda how social progress works.

 

[srw]

1978.Removed from telly for offending a few.

Well no. Removed from telly for being overtly racist.

I never related it to a person

And that's the problem in seven words.

 

[mickle]

Jesus farking Christ. The golliwog is a wholly racist artifact, a hangover from the days of slavery which has no place in the modern world.

If you want to get rid of it either bin it or send it here:

https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/

For farks sake.

 

[winjim]

Jesus farking Christ. The golliwog is a wholly racist artifact, a hangover from the days of slavery which has no place in the modern world.

If you want to get rid of it either bin it or send it here:

https://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/

For farks sake.

Good call, a museum was going to be my suggestion. Judging by some of the replies on this thread, some education is still needed.

 

[Levo-Lon]

 

[Beebo]

It is hard for people to admit that what they have innocently believe to be true for many years is now wrong.

But it is wrong and they must move on.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

It’s all very well, white folk making assumptions on the perceptions and symbolism of these dolls. Pretty much the same old chestnut when a female specific issue is opened up to the floor: The subject very quickly gets drowned out by opinionated men.

I like the suggestion upthread involving a historical organisation. How about an organisation that focuses on the history of people of colour? I will have an ask around my Bristolian friends.