The Doll Test: Choosing Equality

K-Gr 4–Readers learn about the historical Doll Test from the point of view of the dolls; Weatherford first introduces 1939, when “separate but equal” was the law, leading to whites-only bathrooms, restaurants, and even schools. The dolls narrate how two psychologists, Dr. Kenneth Clark and Dr. Mamie Clark, designed a study called the Doll Test to find out how school segregation affected children. The researchers had a black doll and a white doll and then asked the children to “show me the doll that is the nice doll.” Most chose the white doll. When asked to “show me the doll that looks bad,” most children chose the black doll. Eventually, the laws were changed, and everyone could attend the same schools and do everything else together. Framing the heartbreaking test from the perspective of the dolls will be confusing to young children, though the rest of the text is effective. The illustrations use a variety of textures and exaggerated proportions for some of the people and angles, which seems intentional given the content. Actual questions asked in the test are used in the book, so there is a use of the word "Negro," making this a dramatic and great lesson for U.S. history units but sensitive for sharing as read-aloud without discussion, too.