A spotlight on Black Barbie - Netflix’s newest documentary
In this blog we are celebrating the creation of the first Black Barbie and the upcoming launch of Netflix’s newest documentary, Black Barbie, on 19th June!
This year Mattel is celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Barbie Franchise! Since the brand’s inception, Barbie has encouraged girls worldwide to have endless ambition by playing out over 250+ careers. Barbie has supported children to imagine their own stories through play that helps shape their real-life futures, refusing to let traditional ideas of a woman’s role get in the way, however the portfolio has been challenged in the past over it’s representation of diverse role models.
“If you’ve gone your whole life and you’ve never seen anything made in your own image, there is damage done.”
Shona Rhimes
Mattel has previously come under scrutiny for the slow departure from the blonde haired, blue eyed, European centric ideal aesthetic of the original Barbie doll. From conception in 1959, it took 21 years for the first official Black Barbie to be launched in 1980. The creation of “Christy”, enabling young Black girls to begin to see themselves in the Barbie Franchise. Christy was the first 4C haired Barbie doll, showing Black women globally there are no limits to where we deserve to create space and be represented.
“the documentary is really a love letter to Black women in this beautiful way, and women overall during this time.”
Aaliyah Williams, one of the film producers
Netflix’s Black Barbie will share with fans and curious viewers the history behind how the first Black Barbie came to be. The story is told mainly through the first-person perspectives of three Black women who worked at Mattel during the iconic doll’s incubation: Kitty Black Perkins, Stacey McBride-Irby and Davis’ Aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell (Keep a look out for further blogs, celebrating their individual stories!).
Black Barbie will be available on Netflix from 19th June (Juneteenth). To reach more about the story behind the documentary here
Sources
Watch the Exclusive Trailer for Shondaland’s Newest Documentary, ‘Black Barbie’, Shonaland (2024)
Is Barbie a good role mode for young people?, NCS (2023)
Barbie Celebrates 65 Years of Inspiring Girls to recognise their full potential, Mattel (2024)