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The black white doll test

Posted by Ria, 13 Feb

I'm speechless...my jaw just dropped!

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All I have is questions… endless ones.

Is it a case of seeing white as being angelic and black as evil? Is it a case of seeing white as clean and black as dirty? If kids can develop such mentalities at such a tender age, then what happens when they grow older?

Seeing as it’s the black children who are making such a choice, is this a good thing or bad thing. My God...did you see that little girls face when she was asked "Which one is the 'bad' doll?" and she picked the black one and then she was asked to pick the doll most like her!...and her realization that she looked most like the 'bad' doll? It made me feel like crying!

So, here's the question...why didn't they do this same thing with white children? What would the results have been?

I need a real debate on this people. I leave it all to you… This is Ria, waiting on your comments...

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45 responses to "The black white doll test"

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  1.   serenity33 says:
    Posted: 04 Sep 10

    I am a white male who used to work at many places were I was the only white person. And I worked with a lot of black children. One place was an abused children's home and I loved the kids as if they were my own and they called us Uncle or Aunt. And we built family units and I think those kids saw that there was nothing wrong with them since they were black and got along great with me. When I moved to a different house, some of the ran away to be with me and to talk to me even though the head houseparent was black. They felt closer to me even though I was white. But I had to send them back and things didn't go as well because I think I was more sensitive to them knowing I was an outsider in race and tried harder to love them as children rather than blacks. And when I did short term missionary work in Richmond in a dangerous all black area and we held the children's club Bible meeting, I would give piggy back rides and also if the girls where good and listened to the Bible story quietly, I would let them braid my hair which was very long back then. They were wonderful kids and again I treated them as children to be loved, not blacks. I know it isn't much considering all the stereotypes and racism that blacks still face but it shows that even a doofy white guy like me can at least make a little difference to right some of the wrong and help black children feel loved and accepted as individuals and not bad because they are a block doll like in the article.

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  2.   Jeanne says:
    Posted: 17 Jun 10

    This was not a study. It was an observation. Studies are done after observations are made. It was not intended to be a scientific or pseudo scientific study. And to the dimwits who think that the white doll was more attractive, the dolls were identical except for skin and hair color. If darker skin is less attractive, why do whites put so much effort into getting a "nice tan"?

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    • nnormore18 says:
      Posted: 02 Sep 10

      I don't know what this study proves. Above all else I hate racism. I wonder what this test actually proves. Are we all looking hard to find racism in someones choice of colors. Come on so someone likes one color over another. is that really racism. At a subconscious level they are racist weather they like it or not. that sounds a little absurd. maybe if the majority of people chose one color then I could see a pattern. But still what does it prove. Ask those little children if they love all races and you would get your answer. Its looks like they are afraid to answer. because their hearts are being judged and their beliefs. but no one is asking them, they are being labeled for their choice of doll color. So if all those children chose black dolls is that not racism as well.What if someone judged you because you liked the color white. that would make you feel uncomfortable. This is not scientific in my humble opinion.

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  3.   wendelswerk says:
    Posted: 16 May 10

    Flawed studies. I am just so shocked that people fall for this kind of pseudo science.

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  4.   inpetto34 says:
    Posted: 16 Mar 10

    i would say its only fair if that test was given to white children. chinese children and all the races thereof.. this world we live in is not just BLACK AND WHITE... i bet the chinese children et al would have chosen a different race doll for the features they believe is beautiful..Perceptions of beauty is pushed upon us by media (US), culture and personal appeal.. it is disturbing that this little girls perception of beauty is so narrow, and she has to be taught and be exposed to other forms of beauty not just a white doll, only then can she break free and see her own beauty and beauty in not just a white doll, but in all race dolls, and hopefully all people.

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  5.   whitesophistikitty says:
    Posted: 02 Mar 10

    I'm a white female. I've been with my very amazing black man for nearly 5 years on and off (yes, quite the rollercoaster in which I was previously naive.) We have a beautyiful mixed little girl that is a toddler now. We all live together along with his 3 black yound adults 18, 18, 20. All the daughters that my doll received as gifts from my white friends and families were black. However; I noticed every time we went to a day care or the gym kids club, she immediately preferred the white doll! She would literally go running to it every time. I then purchased/received a couple of white dolls for her to play with at home and I'm proud to say that she adores all her dolls equally. She will have a strong sense of self as a female with a white mother and will learn that from me along the way. However; I find it very important for her to feel the same way about her black culture and I hope that others will do the same with their own biracial children. One thing that I must admit that I really don't like is the phrase... White Washed. Like somehow a black person/family that is actually educated and or speaks well has to be put down by their peers because of this? Reverse discrimination is also ridiculous! I hope that others in a biracial situation can learn to education their children and teach them to appreciate their culture as well as all cultures world wide. Perhaps naive, but I'm a hopeless Optimist!

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  6.   Wonka says:
    Posted: 26 Feb 10

    This is so STUPID!!!,give me a freakin' break already.Great point fala/february,23,2007.

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  7.   brownclown says:
    Posted: 28 Dec 09

    Westy, You are proposing that nature/Godd created a group of attractive people and other groups of unattractive people. It's not a matter of opinion but rather fact?

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  8.   Westy says:
    Posted: 01 Jul 09

    Could it be as simple that the White doll is more pleasant to look at.Whites are a very good looking race.

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  9.   Kyle says:
    Posted: 01 Jul 09

    LISTEN _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Well...i dont really dont even know if its about "the white doll is cleaner or better as apposed to the dirty bad black doll" i really just think its what you grow up with...i understand in america in the media white people are the majority...on tv books magazines everywhere....BUT if you think about it...what country doesnt do that? In china...the media is mostly all chinese...in mexico...the media is mostly mexican correct? In america...which after the pilgrams came was almost all white...is still mainly white. Its just natural. You arent going to build a nation if you are white and then not advertise or be the "face" of your country. ALOT of people dont even think about this. This is just something that i see. I understand all of the other views and im not shrugging them off at all. Comment back or message me if you want to discuss this more. I do think its something we need to handle in this country.

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  10.   Nenalinda says:
    Posted: 17 Feb 09

    Could this be the reason why some black women only date white men? Is he better because he's white?

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  11.   Cocohoneebee says:
    Posted: 10 Feb 09

    I have 3 children: 2 boys, 20 and 10, and 1 girl, 14. The oldest two have more of a diverse background- meaning they have more white and Indian blood than the younger one. My oldest is very dark skin whereas my daughter is light even though they both have the same father. My oldest does not have a problem with being who he is. He says he is black. My daughter, however, does not like the label African-American. She says that she is multi-racial. At first, I was a little shocked that she would not want to claim her heritage, but she explained it to me, and I understood. She expressed that she is proud to be ALL of what she is, not one more than the other. She feels that she is unique that way. This video saddens me, but it doesn't shock me. What does bother me is this: I have lived in Alabama the past 21 years. I worked as an Assistant Manager for Walmart, so I came in contact with a lot of people, both black and white. I met a lot of whites who adored black people and embraced them quicker than whites. To me it seems that in spite of the older generation-- my generation's effort to unify our races and teach our children that they are all beautiful and special, there are still so many others both black and white who are trying their best to keep things divided and tear down our youth who are the future of this nation. If we don't come together and stop degrading the minds of our youth with racism, there will be nothing left of this nation which we refer to as the UNITED States of America.

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  12.   rae56 says:
    Posted: 02 Jan 09

    About three weeks before Christmas I went to Wal-mart to find a black doll-- not a one was to be found. While frantically walking up and down the aisles, incensed that I was going to MAKE them have one, I thought about this article. I later went to another Wal-mart and still did not find one. This broke my heart because it told me that the demand is not there.

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  13.   pixie says:
    Posted: 06 Nov 08

    i am all the way from South Africa and after viewing the clip i decided to go and look for a blk doll... i literally searched high and low and did not find a thing. I think we are quick to blame the media, although granted they play a part, bt i agree parents, society, should take sum responsiblity. We so quick to always point out that we have friends from other races when accused of being rascist. y justify. i agree we as black ppl constantly reinforce the negative stereotypes and worship the white man. if my 6 yr old sista sees me idiolise being white what am i saying to her... its not about buying more black dolls, watching biographies of Mandela or Obama but installing black pride and identity....

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  14.   lala2qz says:
    Posted: 04 Nov 08

    wow..... i'm so glad things weren't like that for me when I grew up, so glad I was influenced in a better way. I always tried to get ALL of the barbie dolls, black, hispanic, asian, white, cause even when I was little I liked diversity and could appreciate the beauty in them all. and considering how usually the baby dolls look the same just different colors, I wouldve thought that was a trick question, wouldve tried to look and see if one had evil looking eyes or a crooked smile or something. lol.

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  15.   imlookin4luv says:
    Posted: 04 Nov 08

    This video saddened me to the point of tears. The first study was done when I was a toddler and it's hard to believe that things have not changed when so many things have changed in this country since then. I do believe that the media is part of the problem. I am a white woman and I recieved a black doll for Christmas when I was 2 years old 49 years ago. That doll was my favorite throughout my life and I still own it to this day. She is missing a finger or two but all the other dolls got thrown away. She is still here.

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  16.   shyblkguy says:
    Posted: 06 Sep 08

    Zuluj has an interesting point. Does it bring to mind the whole 'Jesus was black' thing ? Ted also has an interesting point although retarded. Today races on the whole remain separated . A glaring sign that cultures are Not all the same. Its changing like kb100 say,but we are still stuck in denial. What do we Strive for? What goals ? What possession ? What ideals? ok. Where do these come from? From within or were they sold to you ? When we tell our kids what to strive for do we inadvertently tell them "What you are is not good enough so you must strive to be something(someone) else"? ? Again with our goals, who's game do we play? Who do we have to become to be successful in This western culture? Better question: everyday ..do you still pick the white doll???

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  17.   zuluj says:
    Posted: 27 Aug 08

    I watch the video and read some of the responses, most blame the media some blame the parents. but the real blame should be on the church. ie religion is the deification of ones culture, and jesus is a white man "good" and he is the only way to the father who is another white man so in fear we in the black community like the slave bring our child to the white master, who just happen to be a white man "good"

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  18.   kb100 says:
    Posted: 04 Aug 08

    firstly i must apologise for responding late to this ive only been a memeber for about a week i am from south africa and i am 25 years old, i remember the first democratic elections in 1994, and i still remember being hidden in the cupboards at school when some government offficials visited the school i atended,i remember when they innaugurated nelson mandela that same year, it is a painful thing to be at the latter end of a world manner of thinking, the pain is still fresh in my mind and heart, we have only had 14 years of "equality" in my country, the rest of the world has had a abit more practice... but who cares about a small arican nation tha "God" has forgotten about? ponit im trying to make is this... even though the cahange in opinion and ideas about race on our planet is happening slow, it is happeneing.... the things that slow that change down is the media and the powers that be whoever they are. those children are products of their society, they were not born with their minds like that, they have been taught to think that way, even if its at a sub concious level, their parents are also to be blamed for that, how many stories of courageous black people do you think they know of? all they know is britney spears and the hanah montana, and thats it

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  19.   calif.peach says:
    Posted: 11 May 08

    Hmmmm, this is really interesting to me. I am white and Jewish, I come from New York and Los Angeles growing up. My family was in show business broadway and television so I grew up in a very diverse household with very diverse types of people. I actually grew up in such an accepting household that I remember thinking that "prejudice" was something that 'used to be' and that it still happened in the South and in places that were 'backward'. I was in a whole different culture than the mainstream. My first boyfriend was black. My second boyfriend was white. And I had a girlfriend for a while too. My parents accepted all - my friends did too... (well, my mom didn't love the 'girl' thing - LOL). When I was with a black boyfriend at 15 yrs old once, we were sitting on a bus bench waiting for a bus - he had his arm around my shoulders and we were talking together when a carload of white teenage boys stopped and started screaming at him and at me and threatened both of us if he didn't stop 'touching the white girl'. I was FLOORED. That was the first time I realized that choosing to be with a black person really upset some folks. Preston took it all in stride, but I was almost SICK from it. When I asked him how it was that he could be so "ok" - he sat me down and explained how things really were for the most part (this was in 1970s) and things that he dealt with all the time. I remember at that point thinking "what a disgusting world". At any rate, I dated varied people through the years married a white man and had a daughter by him - Our life was rather eclectic and our friends were of all kinds and colors. When my daughter picked out her first doll, we were at Toys R Us and she was just two - walking, talking, but really little... She went in and looked at the dolls, really kind of checked them all out and chose a black baby girl doll that looked very much like the one in this video. She took her everywhere and loved that doll like her own child. At one point, some friend came over and saw Alex playing with her baby and started calling the doll "Bubba" as a joke... (what an idiot!) Alex really didn't understand the implications but could 'feel' the hatred. She was so mad and just ignored him from then on... and I recalled how I felt on the bus bench - that confusion, that feeling of 'what the.. . .???' that I also saw in her eyes then. We had a long talk after that about the whole thing. Both she and I were raised in an accepting atmosphere with diverse people in our lives. We did not experience judgment from our parents for being "DIFFERENT" - but rather support for being "OURSELVES". I think that is the key. I watched television growing up - so did she - but we talked about things... when something was offensive or racially or otherwise misleading - I would point that out to her. Explain why it was wrong and why it was on television. She grew up standing up for herself and for others - not tolerating intolerance. She is now almost 20 years old. It is Mother's Day today and I am feeling very proud. The doll movie was very moving. I felt a lot of emotion watching it and felt angry and sad too - but when I think about my upbringing and the way I raised my daughter - I really must say that it is all about providing EQUAL OPPORTUNITY in the truly REAL sense of the term - to model to our children that we are ALL acceptable and can mix and match however our hearts and hormones say - and that that is OKAY! Then, and only then, will we truly lose the artificial boundaries that are created by fear and acceptance without investigation.

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  20.   OliVanLors says:
    Posted: 13 Apr 08

    In response to Ted; hilarious(!) and if you were being serious, even more funny

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  21.   Ted says:
    Posted: 13 Apr 08

    unfortunately, the test revealed truth. Whites are the best looking, while blacks are not. Blacks have to deal with this, or go back to Africa.

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  22.   Gavin says:
    Posted: 24 Mar 08

    Consumer choice is one real variable that is not considered. The majority of advertising is aimed at children, be it hamburgers or dolls. However, so too is popular culture a culprit in why these children have developed negative racial profiling ideas against black people. The claim by Silverback (above) that race is not a problem (ignorance is) is a very clear illustration of how this thinking continues in adult thinking. If ignorance ( a lack of knowledge about racism) or its effects on all people were to blame then surely this ignorance has been addressed enough for everyone to know it is wrong. Clearly it is more than a lack of knowledge. Snow White The White Knight are all common conventions in media representations that normalize whiteness as 'acceptably good'. And I'm yet to be convinced that the Oprah et als are achieving anything beyond what the white system of domination thinks is aesthetically acceptable in their domain. Its just another genre of convention. Why is that 20% of the worlds population is considered to be more virtuous than the other the remaining 80%. Who controls this manufacturing of consent that say whiteness is rightness? What this facinating test on children proves is that we must all engage with our children on these issues much more bravely and thoughtfully that we have. Lets hope that one day we'll have children that choose both dolls and then challenge us why we are asking them to choose one or the other.

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  23.   Salsera77 says:
    Posted: 16 Jan 08

    Heartbreaking

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  24.   silverback62 says:
    Posted: 16 Jan 08

    The question I would tend to ask is whether the children actually made their decision based on race or did they just prefer to choose the dolls they see in the stores everyday and did they pick the kind of doll a lot of their friends already own. I may be wrong here, but in my experience of growing up and living in the Unuited Kingdom, I have not seen that many black dolls on sale in the shops. That may be because of golliwog dolls in the past, designed to offend. Maybe this is different in the US, maybe there are black dolls on sale everywhere and lots of parents (white and black) have bought black dolls for their kids - Then I stand corrected. I dont think the choices in this clip in any way represent the racial views of the kids, or is a definition of their self esteem - I think they just made a preference choice based on a popular trend. Comments have been made here to highlight the negatives in black people. I think things are changing. The problem is people (both white and black) are refusing to change. We need to point our black children to the positive and make them see black people excelling in their chosen fields, the Oprahs, the Woods, the Obamas, the Hamiltons, the Washingtons and the many black people in various fields aro are excelling in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. We need to let our children know that race is not the problem, ignorance is.

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  25.   shyblkguy says:
    Posted: 17 Aug 07

    how simple and nearsighted can we be to blame it all on the media??? Again, art imitates life.. we as 'minorities' cant waist energy pointing fingers, while at the same time perpetuating stereotypes and teaching them to our children Via OUR media and OUR tradition. What is the Bigger picture for us all in the future? I say we have to sacrifice our prides for the future we will Never physically live to see. The purpose of this site is sort of a double edged sword, ..joining people based on racial preference is of course 'racist' but it serves as the end to the means of intermarrying; the end of all 'pure races', and that is a good thing.

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  26.   Tony says:
    Posted: 29 Jun 07

    Hi, Anger Hurt Worried Helplessness Sad I will post a comment on this but i have to get my emotions in check first so i don't over react. I left the States over 26/27 years ago because i felt helpless to make a change. And here i am again 20-od years later with the same anxieties. Oh in case your wondering, i am an African American now living Down Under. We need to know who we are. e are truly a gifted race of people. I am so proud of being a strong intelligent Balck Man. Took me to get away from the bull.... to see my self. Somehow, some way we need to learn to love ourselves. Until then i feel we as a race will always give others the leverage over us. Anyhow as i said i will comment after the emotions have cooled down. Please, balck mothers & fathers all over the world especially in America(As you are the torch that lights the path to belief of who we are and to be proud,humble but strong) It is you Afro American that are in a position to effect the greatest change in our race. Black Ball players, black actors, Lawyers, Rappers,mothers and fathers.Black Business owners, politicions. Why don't blacks in America work better together? You have so much influence all over the world, why then can other races disrespect us.....why? I think it's because as a whole we don't show respect for each other. And as long as we behave as some do, why should they show us respect or see us as a race to be reccond with. "SELF RESPECT IS THE FIRST LAW OF NATURE." i KNOW I'M ALL OVER THE JOINT BUT MY EMOTIONS ARE OF ANGER-HURT-MIFFED I'll holla later. Peace & Love A Brother from Down Under

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  27.   ollie87 says:
    Posted: 29 Mar 07

    The part about the "which one looks like you?" made me feel like crying too. You can see that she wanted to pick up the white doll so bad, but she knew. I'm glad I saw this video.

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  28.   Sweety1970 says:
    Posted: 24 Mar 07

    It made me cry, too, seeing the video. It was a surprise to me, but maybe it shouldn't be. I am white, and I see black people having problems with the police, being described as "lazy", being asked questions when they intent to ring my bell at night... Only cos they are black... I see racism everywhere. The public image of black people is mostly that of sexy singers and so on, I don't think that it helps much, segregation is a fact and there are many events and positions where a black person is an excepcion. I know that parents' behavior have a huge impact in children, but the problem is that society as a whole is still telling to our children: "White is better, white is easier, white is more beautiful and sucessful". We all have to change it. For example, let's take black heros as a model for our black and white children... I have my little white son, I make sure that he mix, as I do, and he has friends from different races, religions, and cultural backgrounds. I believe that this is the basis for a really plural socety, and that's what we ALL need to have a healthy social life. Thanks very much for the video.

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  29.   Supacruze says:
    Posted: 07 Mar 07

    Well, I am a white 40 yr old male living in Australia... I have a Kenyan girlfriend... but I would have to say I was so ashamed when I saw that video... I know the media has harped on this issue because its such a simple graphic message, and they should have done the tests with a range of races, but the damage is done. Part of the problem is people taking the media seriously as a source of valid info about current affairs in the world. It isnt. Its there to distract and sell advertising. The job of the media is not to inform, it is to grab attention. Nevertheless, I want to encourage all Africans and African Americans that your quest for equality is more than righteous... it is fighting the good fight... MLK was a great great man. I want to see the day he spoke of. I want our children to share this world and live in peace and pride together.

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  30.   feistyone says:
    Posted: 04 Mar 07

    I just saw the video and am not shocked but am surprised at the "sameness" of both of the 'doll' documentary clips. I did feel the "hurt" because in some way I saw myself in those kids. As a child in the '70's, I definitely preferred the white dolls but understanding the psychology behind it in my later years it was because of the messages sent out by varied mediums; ie. advertisements in newpapers, magazines, tv commercials, sometimes even your own family - in summary white was more VALUABLE. I strongly feel that the reason those clips so closely resemble despite taking place 40 or 50 years apart, is because the same message is still communicated; that collectively we are less valuable. We are somehow expendable or don't matter. I have had the good fortune to travel and have a father who corrected my early belief in our society's brainwashing as to where 'our' place was/is in the pecking order. I ended up modelling in Toronto where that message was subtle but none the less existed. In 2002 I moved to the UK and got a fab job in the beauty biz for a well known large cosmetics company. Well I was the only black chick on the team chosen from 1500 applicants. That was an achievement in itself but more so I made it my personal goal to get this company to increase their colour range in products to include shades for not just black women but any woman who was darker than vanilla or beige and though met some resistence was successful. To start -ten new shades instead of two in four different textures. To me it starts with believing in yourself and unlearning the old ideas. Take a stand whenever possible. Make your mark in people's minds.

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  31.   Marquita says:
    Posted: 03 Mar 07

    PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS !!! Well I can say that this is not a surprise to any of us no matter what color we are. I am a Black woman with a 3 year old Black daughter, single parent of course. By watching this short film, I recognize the confusion in the child. Ask the question of why these documentarys are made? We know the damage that this history of America has brought on! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO CHANGE THIS BULLCRAP!! When are we going to start standing up for ourselves and our precious children? We lack so much today as Black women.We are missing Good Black men, emotional stability, economic comfort, and much more. Where did this stem from? It is evident in the way that we and they portray us in the media and in everyday life how we should look at ourselves. If we allow our children to continue on with this mental destruction of self love and awareness, we have no one to blam but ourselves. We have become careless in the acts of raising our children like our mothers and their mothers because of our choices. The main action that should be taken is simple. Love ourselves. We must love ourselves first. repair the damage that has been done by our bad choices by first looking at ourselves then looking at our beautiful black girls and honestly begin to love every inch of who we are, by reading up on our true history, Where we came from, what we represent as the true black woman and inividualize that to self. Pass it down to your black girl of the future. Stop allowing her to believe what she sees in the media as "the black female" booty shaking modern day shucker and jiver!. Explain to the child that these women are women of blindness, women who she will never be, and not to pattern themselves after any race, expecially the women who disgrace there bodies and demean there spirits by "showing a little skin". Look into the destructive history of the other races we as black females are trying to run the race in. The economic state of the Black woman is horrible. Because we see the Oprahs and the traitor Condolisa's on tv, we are supposed to believe "we straight"?!! Hell nah! This film shows it. We need to turn our lives around from being commodities of our cummunity to assets to our communities. i'm tired of the media disguising our true weatlh by puting these same sitting ducks on tv and stating "we have arrived!" What about the common mothers like myself who have the common children like the young black girl in this film? How are we on the economic scale? Where do we fit in the slot of black success. Well, there is no slot for us. There is only illusions and lies. We as black women need to stop asking others for help with our state of self because obviously it ain't working. Our mama's aren't telling the truth, cause they don't know our daddy's don't know how to mend our broken hearts and home, the men disrespect us and go out of there way to remind us that we are lesser, not better.Our friends cannot be trusted, there in the same boat as us, the media tells lies. We must rely on ourselves and the Creator to heal and dispell the evil face every day we live. Love Love Love ourselves, teach our children to respect and love us. Despise the free lunch, love each other as true sisters and the ones who recognize what's going on, help the ones who don't. It is time to heal and teach our beautiful young black ladies who we are and what we are worth, more than a damn doll, more than a slot on TV, more than attention from some young unconscious man, more than our hair and freaking nails. We must research and read. On our own. We are the only ones who can repair the damage that has been inflicted on us by everyone including ourselves. We all have strength, let's start there. I am twenty five and have a long time to go with learning and teaching my daughter her own righteousness, she will know and love herself and respect who she is before the dolls ever get to her! Peace and love Sista's Marquita

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  32.   chococreamy says:
    Posted: 02 Mar 07

    dang......flavor of love, i watch dat show , wonder if love will be strong with hoops,though new york claims to be true woman who knows.....maybe ...maybe not....... but i doubt it,wish he would have gone for smiley...she was a true woman, but still inlove with the ex.....though she would have been over it soon, if she was given a chance by flava flav or foofi AS (Bridgette Nelson] puts it..but anywayz whom are we to tell.... its so sad seeing kids going through this and they dont have any idea what's going on .think we need some help worlwide....so Lord help us all

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  33.   sunnyd007 says:
    Posted: 01 Mar 07

    What what a step back in time....is this trully reflective of what is happening now?? Not so sure, but I can tell you about a young black girl 8 years old, lives two doors down and has many dolls of varying hues---for january she murdered the black one by stabbing her to death and set the hispanic on on fire.......and no, i do not live in the ghetto or low income area....her influence comes directly from the tv, media, crazy mtv shows (that her and her friends love to watch and imitate)...unfortunately too many of us allow someone else's image of us become our reality....we adults have to be more positive in what we say, do, watch explain to our children that shows like flava flav and i love new york are for entertainment, better yet stop watching that stuff

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  34.   DarkGallant1 says:
    Posted: 26 Feb 07

    I have, like many others, watched this particular video. And I don't blame it on anything squarely but the media. WE (our children inclusive) are constantly bombarded with images of "white" being better and superior to other colors. As much as we would like to admitt that we are not a racist societ, in all actuality we are. If take a look at prime time media and what is shown, please take a good look at the roles that African Americans are put in. They are the thugs, the gansters, the drug dealers and oh by the way, they are the police often as well. So the images that we see send a message albeit so sublime that even a child can recognise and understand. If we take a look shows like Cops, and the famous show "Friends" it is obvious once again. Even with channels like BET and their programing, still some the negative message is sent. If you look at Hip Hop videos, you get a blast of decadence that is hard to counter and definitely hard to ignore. So with all that said and forementioned, black people need to be more aware of what they are showing their children and what they are teaching them as well.

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  35.   han808 says:
    Posted: 26 Feb 07

    Interesting thing here is why there are only 2 dolls offered. Could it be misleading or even racist to test only black children here rather than just CHILDREN, And only Black or White dolls,what about the whole gamut of color they interact with in NY at school ?? This May have been a valid test in the 50/60/70s ,but is it valid today to represent only "black" children from the inner city NY with only black or white dolls? What would "white" children choose and why? I think this test says more about a Subculture and mindset that we are hoping will disappear ,but everyday help to perpetuate it with myopic depthless test like this one here. Obvious things come to mind here like self esteem ,Media influence... but what will we do about it? point fingers? Who knows what mundane reasons these kids have for their choice. For a inner city black kid this test is as good as a trick question . Of course the worry here is that these kids represent a small slice of how we black people see ourselves, and are we our own worst enemy. Yes! but we can only realize and address this as individuals ,not as "black people"as a whole ,and not by blaming the MEDIA.

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  36.   miablack says:
    Posted: 25 Feb 07

    That breaks my heart to c that video.We as human beings should b ashamed to even consider thinking of messing wth KIDS hearts minds and soulz.It is disgustin to b faced wth that kinda choice as a child.We as human beings need to change the out look on racism (everywhere).I hope that my children , black , white, or mixed, will b able to choose the black doll and not think of whats wrong or rite.It isnt a bad thing to b black and half the people that that think mixing is wrong well that just goes to show how ignorant they realy r , cuz a prophet in the bible was jewish , and married an ethiopian woman and they had 13 kids so PEOPLE get educated and help us make the race thing equal and fair, the way it should b .

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  37.   Brenda says:
    Posted: 25 Feb 07

    I just saw this video clip, unfortunately even though the media is a big culprit; I blame the parents a great deal for not helping their children effectively deal with the psychological effects of this society as it relates to race. This video deeply saddened me a great deal I love people of all races, and I teach my child the same, but I have never bought a white doll for my child. The media is bombarded with the European standard of beauty; therefore I see no need cultivate it any further in the psyche of my daughter or my nieces. Because when I pick up a magazine with Halle Berry or Beyonce on the cover I think two things oh there is a black woman, but in the back of my mind I see a woman that society deems acceptable because of their obvious white features. I teach my daughter to have self pride in her heritage. She doesn’t have to have a certain hair texture, facial features, or complexion to be seen as beautiful and trust me I drill that in to the max. Not many are addressing the little boy. He obviously has a black mother, but he already at a young age sees black women in a negative light. I date men of all races but something that I have noticed in white men for the most part that they don’t make such an issue as it relates to a black woman’s complexion and ethnic features as black men tend to do.

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  38.   Lynn says:
    Posted: 24 Feb 07

    Ria, I'm a clinical therapist (licensed clinical social worker) and I must tell you this is not a shocker to me. I see this almost daily in my work with children and teens. The problem is, as you mentioned, the images mass media (newspapers, television news and shows, etc...) show are mostly images that show African Americans in negative stereotypic ways. To combat that, people need to interact with blacks who do not act as negative sterotypes. And, there is a long history of negative beliefs towards blacks in America that contribute.

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  39.   rhonda says:
    Posted: 24 Feb 07

    funny thing i thought i would let everyone out there in on..i work as a nurse on a dementia unit..my residents men and women, black and white, and mexican alike..care for their babies..it dosent matter what color the doll is, they are very protective of their babies..i had a white womans family member take her black baby away from her to replace it with a white baby, she tried to kick her family members butt..we learn what we are taught as a child..as a adult, we react from the heart...

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  40.   Serena says:
    Posted: 24 Feb 07

    Please gain insight into white children in foreign countries for a deeper exploration! We know white children here in the USA, will beckon to their own sense of power… Also ask them why if they state the darker doll appears gross! Please take this test serious, I still hear adults black, white, and Latino who think and feel as these youth has expressed, in 2007...much appreciation, for I viewed this test on 20/20 many years ago.

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  41.   fala says:
    Posted: 24 Feb 07

    Someone pointed out that this isn't just a white and black issue. The results would probably be the same with any non-white child.

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  42.   GENERIC1977 says:
    Posted: 23 Feb 07

    i found that video sad it terrible the kids reaction wen she was asked who is the bad doll and she picked the blk doll and then asked which one looks like her u could see the hurt in her eyes as she slowly slid the doll across the table very sad indeed my nieces whom are both white i took on a shopping trip two yrs ago they were aged 3 and 6 and the strange thing was i asked them did they want me to buy them dolls interesting enough that they both chose a black doll cause they liked the black dolls over the white dolls

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  43.   gillie says:
    Posted: 21 Feb 07

    I dont believe that the kids in this video has self esteem problems ...what I do believe is that the media in which the watch has bombarded the minds with a lot of white influences...you see a nice top it is model by a white person...so the concept that they adopted means to say everything looks better if it is white... So it just goes to say that to help correct the wrong perception a lot of buy in has to take place starting with those media houses that produces the commercials that are viewed by many especially the young and the impressionable.... Children at that age don't have an issue with race ...what they do want is to fit in and be like everyone else and I think that after the media has blatantly in so many ways done wrong ...the just assume that the white doll is the one to have ...because it is socially acceptable..

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  44.   fala says:
    Posted: 14 Feb 07

    I watched this on a TV news segment. It's so sad to see these young girls struggle to decide. It's heart breaking to see how much further we still have to go in terms of racial equality.

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