BԪַ

Skip to content

BԪַGolliwogBԪַ doll sells out after complaint at B.C. store, but owner not planning to restock

A customer complained about the dolls, which have been criticized as caricatures of black people.
15761571_web1_190226-LAD-black-pudding-owner-w-doll
Black Pudding store owner Greg Bowles said in 20 years, there have only been BԪַfour or fiveBԪַ negative comments about the BԪַGolliwogBԪַ dolls the Langley British import store sells. Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times

The controversial BԪַgolliwogBԪַ dolls are off the shelves at a Langley British-imports store for now, and the owner said heBԪַs not sure heBԪַll order more.

BԪַTheyBԪַre sold out,BԪַ said Greg Bowles of Black Pudding imports.

The dolls sparked a complaint from Surrey resident Taylor Walker, who told the Langley Times Advance she was startled to see the dolls for sale during a visit to the store Sunday.

Walker, whose father is black, said the imported British-made black dolls, which have eyes rimmed in white, big red lips and frizzy hair, were offensive.

Bowles and co-owner Linda Hazelton insisted the dolls werenBԪַt racist.

READ MORE:

Following the story about the incident, which drew a great deal of comment on social media, Bowles said the store received some harassing messages, as well as a lot of support.

BԪַTheyBԪַre harassing other stores now,BԪַ Bowles said.

He said heBԪַs not planning to re-stock the dolls at this point. The ones in the store recently were part of an order from 2015. Bowles said he wasnBԪַt sure it made business sense to order more.

Golliwog dolls are based on a character in an 1895 childrenBԪַs book called The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls and a Golliwogg by British author Florence Kate Upton, who described the character as BԪַthe blackest gnome.BԪַ

It was a popular childrenBԪַs toy in many European countries, but in recent years has become a magnet for controversy, with critics saying the doll was based on blackface worn by white performers who crudely stereotyped black people.

According to a number of historical sources, the doll inspired the racial slur BԪַwog.BԪַ

Because of that, Hazelton and Bowles said, the toys are now called BԪַGollyBԪַ dolls.

The Ferris State University BԪַJim Crow museum of racist memorabiliaBԪַ website said Golliwog dolls were the BԪַleast known of the major anti-black caricatures in the United States.BԪַ

Like us on and follow us on .



Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
Read more



(or

BԪַ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }