The Racial Symbolism of the Topsy-Turvy Doll
The Racial Symbolism of the Topsy-Turvy Doll The uncertain meaning behind a half-black, half-white, two-headed toy: An Object Lesson K. Tait Jarboe / Zak Bickel / The Atlantic The doll is two-headed and two-bodied—one black body and one white, conjoined at the lower waist where the hips and legs would ordinarily be. The lining of one's dress is the outside of the other’s, so that the skirt flips over to conceal one body when the other is upright. Two dolls in one, yet only one can be played with at a time. The topsy-turvy doll, as it’s known, most likely originated in American plantatio...
Source: theatlantic.com