"How to Do Things With Dolls" Discussion

Join the director of the National Center for Children’s Literature, Dr. Lashon Daley, for a talk about representations of Black girlhood in children’s literature.

In this talk, Daley tells a story of race, gender, and class through the perspective of American Girl doll, Addy Walker. In detailing her experience visiting the flagship American Girl store in Chicago, Illinois to spending ten days on the Underground Railroad, Daley shows how doing things with dolls and experiencing girlhood blend together in a mix of play and imagination, while also highlighting how Addy Walker’s story of enslavement adds complexity to these experiences. Daley's exploration deepens our understanding of how historical representations and narratives of Black girlhood are constructed and experienced in both educational and play-based contexts.

Come to view the Girlhood (It’s complicated) exhibit, then stay for the program! The talk starts at 2:00 pm in the 3M Auditorium.

This program is made possible by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Host or Publisher Minnesota Historical Society