Oprah FINALLY Gets A Black Barbie Doll
Plus, see more iconic Black Barbies we will never forget.
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Yara Shahidi, Adwoa Aboah, Naomi Osaka and more (2019) - Actress and activist Yara Shahidi, model and activist Adwoa Aboah and tennis champ Naomi Osaka have all been selected as one of the 20 Barbie Role Models for their 60th anniversary and International Women's Day. Mattel chose 20 women from 18 countries who are inspiring the next generation of girls. Mattel says, "We’re committed to highlighting empowering role models as a key part of the Dream Gap Project–our ongoing global initiative aimed at giving girls the resources and support they need to continue believing that they can be anything. By introducing girls to stories of women from all walks of life, they begin to see more opportunities for themselves." newscastars_ via Mattel
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Oprah Winfrey (2018) - 2018 is the year of Oprah! We kicked of the year with her glorious Golden Globes speech that led to #Oprah2020 and now, as we wait with much anticipation for this spring's A Winkle in Time, Mattel brings us an Oprah Barbie doll! The Wrinkle in Time Barbie trio includes a Mindy Kaling doll and Reese Witherspoon doll, who both star with Mama O in the movie.The film's director, Ava Duvernay, took her excitement over the dolls to Instagram, posting this sweet message: "When Disney makes Barbies of your movie’s characters and you just want to stare at them all day in disbelief because you loved Barbies as a girl but never had any like these. #WrinkleinTime"(Photo: Barbie)
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Ibtihaj Muhammad (2017) - The first ever hijab-wearing Barbie was unveiled at Glamour's 2017 Women of the Year Awards, honoring U.S. Olympian fencer and first Muslim female medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad. “I’m proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true,” she said of being the newest member of the Barbie Shero family!(Photo: Mattel)
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Gabrielle Douglas (2016) - Mattel has released many Black Barbies over the years, including their most recent celebrity additions — Gabrielle Douglas, Brandy and Zendaya. Click ahead to recap our favorite Black Barbies ever. Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas is the latest star to receive her own Barbie doll as part of Mattel's "Shero" collection. The doll is dressed in a replica of a leotard from Gabby's line by sportswear outfitter GK and comes with a Nike sweatsuit to match. (Photo: Barbie/Mattel)
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Misty Copeland (2016) - Misty Copeland, the American Ballet Theatre's first Black principal ballerina, is the latest celeb to join the Barbie Sheroes program. The doll's scarlet costume is inspired by Copeland's performance in Firebird, her first principal role with ABT. And if you want to see her in action, the real Misty will reprise the role at the Metropolitan Opera House on May 18 and 19 as part of ABT's annual spring season. (Photo: Mattel)
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Moschino’s Barbie Doll (2015) - Fashion-forward brand Moschino is partnering with Mattel to create their very own Barbie! The collab makes sense, especially after rave reviews of Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott’s Barbie-themed Spring 2015 collection. Best the part is, the doll will be available in both African-American and Caucasian models. Both are equally stylish.(Photo: Paul Jordan, 2015 Mattel)
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Zendaya (2015) - "When I was little I couldn't find a Barbie that looked like me, my...how times have changed. Thank you @barbie for this honor and for allowing me to be a part of your diversification and expansion of the definition of beauty."Zendaya is the most recent celeb to be honored by Mattel with her very own Barbie. The Disney star's look-a-like doll wears her hair in locs mimicking Z's Vivienne Westwood look from the 2015 Oscars Red Carpet. The same look which came under attack from Giuliana Rancic on E!'s Fashion Police particularly for her choice of hairstyle. Take that!(Photo: Splash News/Mattel)
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Roxie Hart (2015) - Brandy isn’t new to the Barbie game, during her Moesha days she had multiple dolls fashioned after her. But this year, after she landed the lead in the famed Broadway musical Chicago, Mattel honored the star with a Roxie Hart Barbie. Brandy posted the pic of her mini me on Instagram. (Photo: 4everbarbiebrandy via Instagram/Mattel)
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Ava DuVernay (2015) - The Ava doll wears braids (a stand-in for DuVernay’s locs), a black turtleneck and jeans, and sits in a director’s chair. DuVernay posted on Twitter: “I always played w/ my sisters Jina + Tera. For hours making stories + scenarios. So this is special. Thanks, @Barbie.” The other dolls in the collection are tributes to Emmy Rossum, Eva Chen, Kristin Chenoweth, Sydney “Mayhem” Keiser and Trisha Yearwood. (Photo: Mattel)
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Nicki Minaj (2011) - It's only fitting the rapper would have her own Barbie doll since she's a self-proclaimed Barbie and calls her fans Barbz. Nicki's doll is a replica of her album cover for Pink Friday where she posed as a life-size doll.(Photo: Mattel)
Photo By Photo: Mattel
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So In Style Dolls (2009) - Grace, Kara and Trichelle were introduced in this 2009 Barbie line extension. Designed by a Black woman, Stacey McBride-Irby, they all have little sisters who they mentor, too. They come in different skin tones and hair textures, and feature fuller lips, wider noses and higher cheekbones than Mattel’s white dolls. (Photo: Mattel)
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AKA Centennial Barbie (2008) - In commemoration of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority’s 100th anniversary, Mattel created a doll dressed in pink and green chiffon with gold accents. (Photo: Mattel)
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Oreo Fun Barbie (1997) - The Black version of this Nabisco-branded doll was, predictably, a flop. Turns out, Black folks weren’t excited to buy a doll that was labeled an “Oreo.” It has the distinction of being the only Barbie to ever be recalled. (Photo: Mattel)
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Shani, Nichelle and Asha (1992) - The original product description for the Marvelous World of Shani and Her Friends dolls says, “Shani means marvelous in the Swahili language...and marvelous she is! With her friends Asha and Nichelle, Shani brings to life the special style and beauty of the African American woman.” These dolls had three different skin tones and more African features than previous dolls. (Photo: Mattel)
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Nigerian Barbie (1990) - Released as part of the Dolls of the World collection, she sports a printed halter dress, a huge curly Afro tied back with a coordinating scarf, gold arm cuffs and matching heels. She is the first of the African dolls in the series. The others include Kenyan (1994), Ghanaian (1996) and Moroccan (1999). (Photo: Mattel)
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