Human figure drawings done by 415 urban black children were compared with the figures of people drawn by children in 1938 and 1950. Though children from five to eight years of age showed no change in performance over the 50-year time-span, there was a significant improvement in the Goodenough scores obtained by contemporary children of school age in comparison with the historical samples. Whilst it is feasible that betterment of the wider social milieu of black people in South Africa may be associated with these changes, no significant relationships between Draw-a-Man scores and socio-economic status could be demonstrated for the older children in the 1988 sample. For this group, test performance showed some relationship with scholastic achievement. The Draw-a-Man test appears to have some validity as a general cognitive measure amongst local black children between the ages of five and eight years. The test seems to be unsuitable for children over eight years of age because, from this age onwards, it underestimates abilities to a marked extent.Tekeninge van die menslike figuur soos deur 415 stedelike swart kinders gemaak, is met die wat deur kinders in 1938 en 1950 geteken is, vergelyk. Alhoewel kinders tussen vyf en agt jaar oud geen verandering in prestasie oor die 50 jaar-tydperk getoon het nie, is daar 'n betekenisvolle verbetering in Goodenough-tellings by hedendaagse skoolgaande kinders bevind. Terwyl hierdie verandering wei met 'n verbetering van die algemene sosiale milieu van swart mense gepaard mag gaan, kon geen betekinsvolle verwantskappe tussen die tekeningtellings en sosio-ekonomiese status vir die ouer kinders in die 1988-steekproef aangedui word nie. Vir hierdie groep het die tekeningtoetsresultate egter 'n verwantskap met skolastiese prestasie getoon. Die 'Draw-a-Man'-toets blyk geldig te wees as 'n alqernene kognitiewe meting onder plaaslike swart kinders tussen vyf en agt jaar. Dit wil egter voorkom of die toets nie vir hierdie doel vir kinders ouer as agt jaar geskik is nie aangesien dit hulle verrnoens heelwat onderskat.