A wooden board for bean bag toss game depicting a caricature of a clown. The front board is rectangular in shape and is raised and is held in place by triangular side boards. The front and sides are painted maroon. A clown's face has been painted on the playing surface in black, yellow, maroon and black. The clown is wearing a yellow ruffled collar with maroon and black polka dots. The clown's face features pointed eyebrows, a round nose with a black center, and large red lips surrounding a round aperture. The back is open, with a wooden plank across the bottom, connecting the two side boards.
Statement:
Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer