Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Started out as just a neat visit to a "doll factory", turned into a cool slice of history! I could barely make out the words Dee Bee on the side of the finished doll in its box, so I started digging from there. So glad I did! This appears to be rare footage from Shindana (Swahili for "compete") Toys, which came about through Operation Bootstrap, a South Central Los Angeles, California cooperative toy company formed in 1968, following the 1965 Watts riots. Too many little black kids were forced to play with white dolls, so Shindana stepped in and was one of the first companies to finally cater to kids of colour. Their groovy catalogs (linked below via Plaid Stallions aka @Brick Mantooth on YT) are just a joy to behold. They even managed to make a name for themselves with official dolls for black celebs of the day like Redd Foxx, J.J. Walker, Dr. J., O.J. Simpson, and Marla Gibbs (Florence on "The Jeffersons"). They only lasted until 1983, but they certainly left their mark and are now much sought-after collector items. Originally aired on November 21, 1973 (Season 5, Ep 538), this clip came from Ep 596, linked below.
VIDEO (EPISODE 596): bit.ly/3NpekOh
muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_0538 (FIRST)
virtualblackdollmuseum.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shindana_Toys
voyagela.com/interview/conversations-tuesday-conner
museumofuncutfunk.com/2009/04/14/operation-bootstrap
wtop.com/lifestyle/2022/01/woman-creates-virtual-black-doll-museum
kcet.org/shows/lost-la/episodes/shindana-toy-company-changing-the-american-doll-industry
Awesome retro catalogs from Plaid Stallions!
plaidstallions.com/shindana/1976.html
plaidstallions.com/shindana/78.html
And DO NOT miss this excellent look at Shindana Toys:
artsandculture.google.com/story/a-history-of-shindana-toys-dolls-and-games-with-a-difference-the-strong/EwUx4VSdcBtsLg?hl=en
Twitter: twitter.com/TinyDancer500
Instagram: instagram.com/tinyd500
Web: bit.ly/Sesame_Street_Lyrics_Archive
YouTube: youtube.com/user/TinyDancer500
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSesameStreetLyricsArchive
Started out as just a neat visit to a "doll factory", turned into a cool slice of history! I could barely make out the words Dee Bee on the side of the finished doll in its box, so I started digging from there. So glad I did! This appears to be rare footage from Shindana (Swahili for "compete") Toys, which came about through Operation Bootstrap, a South Central Los Angeles, California cooperative toy company formed in 1968, following the 1965 Watts riots. Too many little black kids were forced to play with white dolls, so Shindana stepped in and was one of the first companies to finally cater to kids of colour. Their groovy catalogs (linked below via Plaid Stallions aka @Brick Mantooth on YT) are just a joy to behold. They even managed to make a name for themselves with official dolls for black celebs of the day like Redd Foxx, J.J. Walker, Dr. J., O.J. Simpson, and Marla Gibbs (Florence on "The Jeffersons"). They only lasted until 1983, but they certainly left their mark and are now much sought-after collector items. Originally aired on November 21, 1973 (Season 5, Ep 538), this clip came from Ep 596, linked below.
VIDEO (EPISODE 596): bit.ly/3NpekOh
muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_0538 (FIRST)
virtualblackdollmuseum.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shindana_Toys
voyagela.com/interview/conversations-tuesday-conner
museumofuncutfunk.com/2009/04/14/operation-bootstrap
wtop.com/lifestyle/2022/01/woman-creates-virtual-black-doll-museum
kcet.org/shows/lost-la/episodes/shindana-toy-company-changing-the-american-doll-industry
Awesome retro catalogs from Plaid Stallions!
plaidstallions.com/shindana/1976.html
plaidstallions.com/shindana/78.html
And DO NOT miss this excellent look at Shindana Toys:
artsandculture.google.com/story/a-history-of-shindana-toys-dolls-and-games-with-a-difference-the-strong/EwUx4VSdcBtsLg?hl=en
Twitter: twitter.com/TinyDancer500
Instagram: instagram.com/tinyd500
Web: bit.ly/Sesame_Street_Lyrics_Archive
YouTube: youtube.com/user/TinyDancer500
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSesameStreetLyricsArchive
