{"id":477,"date":"2014-07-01T16:04:18","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T20:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/?page_id=477"},"modified":"2014-07-08T10:35:29","modified_gmt":"2014-07-08T14:35:29","slug":"black","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/","title":{"rendered":"Page-Black"},"content":{"rendered":"<script>fsg_json['fsg_post_477'] = [\n{id: 824, image: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Possum-Trot-7-www.spacesarchives.org_1.jpg', extlink: '', thumb: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Possum-Trot-7-www.spacesarchives.org_1-215x215.jpg', permalink: '<div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#824\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div>', layer: '<div class=\"galleria-infolayer\"><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><h1>Possum Trot<\/h1><p class=\"galleria-info-description\">Photo courtesy of Spaces Archives<\/p><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#824\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><\/div>'},\n{id: 823, image: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Bird-Cage-Theatre-Fantasy-Doll-Show-www.spacesarchives.org_1.jpg', extlink: '', thumb: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Bird-Cage-Theatre-Fantasy-Doll-Show-www.spacesarchives.org_1-215x215.jpg', permalink: '<div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#823\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div>', layer: '<div class=\"galleria-infolayer\"><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><h1>The Bird Cage Theatre Fantasy Doll Show<\/h1><p class=\"galleria-info-description\">Photo courtesy of Spaces Archives<\/p><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#823\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><\/div>'},\n{id: 825, image: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollCowgirl1-e1404349376658.jpg', extlink: '', thumb: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollCowgirl1-e1404312649536-215x215.jpg', permalink: '<div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#825\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div>', layer: '<div class=\"galleria-infolayer\"><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><h1>Calvin and Ruby Black<\/h1><h1><i>Possum Trot Doll, Cowgirl<\/i>, ca. 1954-1969<\/h1><p class=\"galleria-info-description\">Painted wood and fabric<br\/>Collection of Didi and David Barrett<\/p><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#825\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><\/div>'},\n{id: 826, image: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollShirley-e1404349395777.jpg', extlink: '', thumb: 'https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollShirley-e1404312810119-215x215.jpg', permalink: '<div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#826\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div>', layer: '<div class=\"galleria-infolayer\"><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><h1>Calvin and Ruby Black<\/h1><h1><i>Possum Trot Doll, Shirley<\/i>, ca. 1954-1969<\/h1><p class=\"galleria-info-description\">Painted wood and fabric<br\/>Collection of Didi and David Barrett<\/p><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\"><a title=\"Permalink\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/#826\"><div class=\"galleria-link-bookmark\"><\/div><\/a><\/div><div class=\"galleria-layeritem\" style=\"padding-right: 20px;\"><\/div>'}\n];<\/script>\n<p><strong>Calvin and Ruby Black<\/strong> (American, 1903\u20131972 and 1915\u20131980)<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_558\" style=\"width: 752px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-558\" class=\" wp-image-558          \" alt=\"(Left) Calvin Black, photo courtesy of Light Sara Films(Right) Ruby Black, photo courtesy of Spaces Archives\" src=\"http:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/CalvinandRubyBlack.jpg\" width=\"742\" height=\"257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/CalvinandRubyBlack.jpg 742w, https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/CalvinandRubyBlack-250x86.jpg 250w, https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/CalvinandRubyBlack-500x173.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Calvin Black, photo courtesy of Light Sara Films \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Ruby Black, photo courtesy of Spaces Archives<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Calvin Black was born in Tennessee and grew up working for the family circus, where he learned ventriloquism and traveled the United States until meeting Ruby in Georgia. The couple married in 1933 and in 1953 they bought a plot of land in Yermo, California, hoping the climate would be better for Calvin\u2019s deteriorating health. When a new highway brought an influx of tourists the\u00a0Blacks decided to build a miniature amusement park they named Possum Trot.\u00a0Possum Trot consisted of multiple wind-driven constructions, a merry-go-round, a train, and, as the main attraction, a feature they called the Fantasy Doll Show at the Bird Cage Theater. Dolls carved by Calvin and dressed by Ruby, using mainly found objects and items from a local dump site, were installed throughout the park. The Fantasy Doll Show alone employed nearly sixty three- to four-foot dolls to perform shows designed by Calvin.<\/p>\n<p>Before Calvin died in 1972 he asked Ruby to burn the dolls but she never did, continuing to live in Possum Trot until her own death in 1980. After Ruby\u2019s death the site fell into ruins as local interest declined, and Possum Trot was dismantled. Today, the Blacks\u2019 dolls can be found in private and public exhibitions across the United States\u2014miniature tributes to the whimsical world that was Possum Trot. The dolls have a totemic quality to them, each one designed with a unique character in mind. Some rode bicycles with the help of wind, while others had built-in speakers in the back of their heads, meant to \u201cspeak\u201d a pre-recorded melody or statement.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 25%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-477 gallery-columns-4 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-postid=\"fsg_post_477\" data-imgid=\"824\" href='https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Possum-Trot-7-www.spacesarchives.org_1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"215\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Possum-Trot-7-www.spacesarchives.org_1-215x215.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-824\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-824'>\n\t\t\t\tPossum Trot\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-postid=\"fsg_post_477\" data-imgid=\"823\" href='https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Bird-Cage-Theatre-Fantasy-Doll-Show-www.spacesarchives.org_1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"215\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/Black-Bird-Cage-Theatre-Fantasy-Doll-Show-www.spacesarchives.org_1-215x215.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-823\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-823'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Bird Cage Theatre Fantasy Doll Show\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-postid=\"fsg_post_477\" data-imgid=\"825\" href='https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollCowgirl1-e1404349376658.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"215\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollCowgirl1-e1404312649536-215x215.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-825\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-825'>\n\t\t\t\t<i>Possum Trot Doll, Cowgirl<\/i>, ca. 1954-1969\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a data-postid=\"fsg_post_477\" data-imgid=\"826\" href='https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollShirley-e1404349395777.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"215\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/files\/2014\/07\/BlackCalvinandRuby_PossumTrotDollShirley-e1404312810119-215x215.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-826\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-826'>\n\t\t\t\t<i>Possum Trot Doll, Shirley<\/i>, ca. 1954-1969\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Calvin and Ruby Black (American, 1903\u20131972 and 1915\u20131980) Calvin Black was born in Tennessee and grew up working for the family circus, where he learned ventriloquism and traveled the United States until meeting Ruby in Georgia. The couple married in &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/black\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2790,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"showcase.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-477","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2790"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1050,"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/477\/revisions\/1050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/facesandfigures\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}