Madeleine Accettella and Emma Kelley’s documentary project Dolls for All: How Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark Fought for Racial Equality selected out of 700 MA entries.
Hingham, MA, July 2, 2025 – Hingham Public Schools congratulates Madeleine Accettella and Emma Kelley for being selected as part of the National History Day (NHD) “Celebrating Juneteenth” virtual showcase.
Hingham High, a National History Day school, supports students as they choose topics they care about and conduct extensive research in libraries, archives, and museums, harnessing project-based learning to create their presentations.
Out of 700 entries across the state, Madeleine and Emma’s documentary, Dolls for All: How Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark Fought for Racial Equality, was selected as an outstanding example of research highlighting stories of African American history, culture, and freedom.
This student-led documentary centered around the life and legacy of Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark, the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in psychology from Columbia University, and whose work on the groundbreaking “Doll Tests” helped demonstrate that segregation and systemic discrimination contributed to Black children’s feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem.
In Madeleine and Emma’s process paper included in the submission, they wrote, “Our topic holds great significance in history due to Dr. Phipps Clark being a strong influence on the Civil Rights Movement, especially with her success in bettering the lives of minority children. Dr. Phipps Clark’s Dolls Tests were used as evidence in the groundbreaking Brown v. Board Supreme Court Case, proving her contribution in ending educational racial segregation, and forever influencing American education.”
The full Juneteenth virtual showcase, including Madeleine and Emma’s documentary, can be viewed at masshist.org/masshistoryday/juneteenth2025.
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