Native American Dolls
In 2000, Jane E. Gregory and her daughter Sarah J. Gregory donated 193 Native American dolls, supplementing a collection of 108 African dolls, donated in 1984. As even this small selection suggests, there is a great diversity among Native American dolls. Traditionally dolls were created for children; a few kinds were used in ritual. Today, dolls are more often made for sale. Their distinctive tribal costumes make superb markers of ethnic identity. Most of these dolls are generic, but some represent specific individuals. Several of these were made by Native artists from a group different from the one depicted. The Gregories have been collecting their Native American dolls since 1958; unless otherwise noted, the dates given here are the year of purchase, which was usually close to the time of creation.
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