The Black Baby Dolls are hard to miss during Mardi Gras. Groups of Black women, dressed to the nines in bonnets, bloomers, and doll dresses, traipse to the sounds of the music. But these dolls are NOT to be toyed with.
During the early 1900s, New Orleans segregated its businesses, pushing most Black enterprises to the edges of town while preserving the best locations for whites. Many in the community remained quiet – but not this group of Black women.
They came from the poorest parts of town, harassed by police and ignored by the legal system. They “dolled themselves up” to draw attention to the racism and sexism keeping them impoverished and excluded. Doing this during Mardi Gras was a risk to their freedom and their bodies. But they pushed boundaries, smoking cigars and dancing suggestively. Still, the shock value was them calling out the racism they experienced.
They crashed Mardi Gras, ready to protect themselves against anyone who dared to hurt them during the parades. The result? They inspired the Black elite to use their resources to fight back, too.
Our rights are nothing to play with. We can use creativity to challenge the system, demonstrate our power and resilience, and inspire others – even in the face of those who seek to hurt and oppress us.