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Museum object · Racist and Stereotypical Objects

Box for “Darkie” brand toothpaste

1933-1985

Asia

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A thin cardboard "Darkie" brand toothpaste box. Both the front and back of the box feature a black and white illustration of a caricature of a wide-eyed, smiling man wearing a top hat, white shirt, black jacket and a bow tie. The white and black text above the image on each side reads [DARKIE / TOOTH PASTE]. The bottom third of the box front has a circular logo with three circles split into one (1) large and two (2) small black and white semicircles and text above and below the middle semi-circle that reads [HAWLEY & HAZEL / BLACK & WHITE]. At the bottom of the front panel is black text that reads [HAWLEY & HAZEL / CHEMICAL CO. LTD.]. The back of the box is identical to the front. The thinner sides of the box are green with a black background.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2007.7.172.1

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