Netflix’s upcoming documentary, “Black Barbie,” executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, is set to explore the groundbreaking journey of the first Black Barbie doll. This documentary, produced by Shondaland, the company behind hits like “Bridgerton” and “Inventing Anna,” delves into the efforts of three Black women at Mattel who were instrumental in the creation of the Black Barbie in 1980.
The documentary, directed by Lagueria Davis, who is also the niece of one of the key figures, Beulah Mae Mitchell, highlights the significant impact of representation in the toy industry and beyond. It tells the story of Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride Irby, who fought to bring a Black Barbie to life. Their journey began in the 1960s when Mitchell first started working at Mattel and continued until the doll’s debut in 1980.
According to Netflix, the documentary features insider interviews and detailed retellings of the events at Mattel leading up to the release of Black Barbie. It emphasizes the importance of true representation and how dolls can play a crucial role in identity formation and imagination for children.
Mitchell’s campaign for a Black Barbie started in the early 1960s, shortly after she began working at Mattel. It took two decades for her dream to be realized, with designer Kitty Black Perkins joining the team and basing the doll on the iconic Diana Ross. Perkins later hired Stacey McBride Irby to further develop the project.
The documentary also touches on the emotional impact of the lack of representation in dolls. Two female interviewees share their experiences of feeling isolated and unseen in a world dominated by white dolls, which affected their self-esteem and sense of beauty.
“Black Barbie” is set to premiere on Netflix on June 19. While there is no trailer available yet, the anticipation for this documentary is high, especially following the success of the Barbie movie last summer.
Shonda Rhimes, who has her own Barbie doll modeled after her, was inspired to create this documentary due to her personal connection to the iconic toy. In an interview with Variety, Rhimes expressed the significance of the project, stating, “I think there’s something really powerful about it. I played with those dolls when I was a kid.”
The documentary also explores the broader historical impact of Black dolls on the Civil Rights Movement and Black entrepreneurship in the U.S. It features cultural commentators, historians, and consumers who weigh in on the significance of the Black Barbie.
Lagueria Davis, who wrote, directed, and produced the documentary, shares a personal connection to the story through her aunt, Beulah Mae Mitchell. Davis’s journey to uncover her aunt’s involvement in the creation of Black Barbie adds a deeply personal layer to the film.
The documentary highlights the challenges and triumphs of the three women who made Black Barbie a reality. Perkins, who designed the first Black Barbie, aimed to reflect the total look of a Black woman, making the doll the complete opposite of the traditional Barbie. Black Barbie had an Afro, fuller lips, and a wider nose, and she wore bold jewelry and a red wraparound skirt inspired by Diana Ross.
The success of Black Barbie, despite minimal advertising by Mattel, paved the way for other Black Barbies and Black doll lines. In 1996, Perkins hired Stacey McBride-Irby, who created and designed new Black Barbie lines, continuing the legacy of representation in the toy industry.
“Black Barbie: A Documentary” debuted at South by Southwest in March 2023, months before Greta Gerwig’s fictional Barbie movie was released. Both films pay tribute to pioneering women and celebrate the diversity of Barbies that followed the release of the first Black Barbie.
The documentary also features interviews with notable Black women, including prima ballerina Misty Copeland, Olympic fencing medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, actor Gabourey Sidibe, and Shonda Rhimes. These women discuss the importance of Black Barbie and the challenges of representation.
In the final act of the documentary, Davis revisits the landmark doll tests from the 1940s, which determined the effects of segregation on Black children’s self-esteem. The tests revealed that most children rejected Black dolls, highlighting the deep-seated impact of racial representation.
The documentary leaves viewers with a thought-provoking question: Are Black girls still in a white Barbie World? It challenges us to consider how far we have come in terms of representation and the work that still needs to be done.
“Black Barbie: A Documentary” is now available on Netflix, offering a powerful and emotional exploration of the significance of representation in the toy industry and beyond.
