Media
Black Barbie
“With experts such as UCLA Professor of African American Studies, World Arts & Culture/Dance Patricia A. Turner guiding us along the way, “Black Barbie” reminds us of touchstone moments in the history of Black dolls, e.g., the famous Clark doll test of 1940, in which the husband-and-wife research team of Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark and Dr. Kenneth Clark placed four dolls in front of Black children and asked them, “Show me the doll you’d like to play with,” “Show me the doll that’s a nice doll” and “Show me the doll that’s a bad doll.” Their findings showed Black children would consistently ascribe positive attributes to the Caucasian dolls and negative traits to the Black dolls. The Clarks’ doll test became a key piece of evidence in the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of education decision.”
-‘Black Barbie’: Netflix doc collects insights about the importance of relatable dolls, Chicago Sun-Times
Turner at the Black Barbie premiere with Ida B. Wells doll
The Conversation - The Young Turks
August 25, 2022
David Shuster hosts. Author and Professor Patricia Turner discusses the right's racist attacks on Barack Obama.
Op-Eds:
“What Would Arthur Ashe Do?” Inside Tennis June 30, 2020.
“Dangerous White Stereotypes.” New York Times Op-Ed, August 28th, 2011.
“Patchwork History of Hate.” Los Angeles Times August 14, 2009.
Interviews and Print References:
“Betye Saar Reassembles the Lives of Black Women.” Hilton Als, The New Yorker, November 27, 2023
“9 Books About Conspiracy Theories.” Anna Gooding-Call, Book Riot, April 14, 2021.
“Quilts With A Sense of Place, Stitched in Oakland.” Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, February 2, 2016.
“High Water.” David Remnick, The New Yorker, September 25, 2005.
“Thirteen Ways of Looking At A Black Man.” Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The New Yorker, October 16 1995
Radio and podcasts:
“The Obamas' Lonely Walk on the High Road.” Notes from America with Kai Wright podcast, October 3, 2022.
“Black Quilting, Black Folklore.” Stitch Please podcast.
“Why African Americans Loathe ‘Uncle Tom.’” National Public Radio, July 30, 2008.
“America’s Love Affair with Stereotyped Brands.”National Public Radio’s Tell Me More, January 23, 2008.
Television and Documentaries:
“I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” segment on 20/20, April 19, 1996.
Color Adjustment (documentary) - consulting scholar. PBS debut June 1992. Winner, 1992 Peabody Award.
Ethnic Notions (documentary) - consulting scholar. February 1987. Winner, 1989 Emmy Award for Best Original Research in a Documentary.
