Mattel Releases New Barbie Honoring The Legacy Of Madam C.J. Walker

Photo: Mattel

Mattel Releases New Barbie Honoring The Legacy Of Madam C.J. Walker

It seems like Madam C.J. Walker is coming to a toybox near you soon!

According to reports, business mogul Madam C.J. Walker is the latest historical figure to be recognized by Mattel, the toy company that manufactures Barbie. The Madam C.J. Walker doll comes dressed in a printed floral blouse, full-length turquoise skirt, white earrings, and a braid crown. The barbie seems to be holding a miniature replica of Madam C.J. Walker’s original Wonderful Hair Grower product. The special edition doll went on sale yesterday (Aug. 24) and is available for purchase at Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Mattel Creations for a suggested retail price of $35.

Photo: Mattel

As you may already know, Madam C.J. Walker was a Black businesswoman, philanthropist, and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. The millionaire made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for Black women.

The executive vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls for Mattel, Lisa McKnight, released a statement on the Madam C.J. Walker doll and said,

“As a pioneer in entrepreneurship, philanthropy?, and activism, creating the blueprint for the self-made American businesswoman and innovators of the twentieth century, Madam C.J. Walker is an embodiment of our Barbie Inspiring Women series.”

McKnight added,

“We’re honored to welcome her into this group of trailblazing women and introduce more kids to her journey of becoming one of the nation’s first widely-successful female founders.”

Madam C.J. Walker

Reportedly, Barbie reached out to Madam C.J. Walker’s great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles to help with the doll’s creation. Bundles spoke on the collaboration and said,

“To be able to have Madam C.J. Walker included in Barbie’s Inspiring Women Series means her story will go out across the world in a way it never has before.”

Bundles added,

“To know little girls and big girls will have access to Madam Walker and just that physical symbolism of her story means it’s going to be exploding exponentially in a way it never has before.”

What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Will you be picking up the Madam C.J. Walker barbie? Tell us in the comments below! 

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