Barbie Doll Blues & Black Barbie

First, let me just say that I'm not against dolls altogether, heck they all eventually end up with a shaved head and dismembered limbs, but I am having a little bit of a Barbie beef and not certain that if I had a daughter I would allow her to have one. Yes, I played with them growing up, but the whole image of Barbie just irks me now. The one-dimensional standard of beauty that really hasn't changed since the original concept of Barbie, a woman with large breast, small waist, blond hair, blue eyes and white skin. Yes, there are African -American versions of the dolls, but they lack the ethnic features of so many young black girls who desire them.

I actually liked the first black Barbie created with the namsake. Although her face mold was created from the white doll mold, she still had a short natural and a 70's soul sista Christie Love look!

Now Barbie makers, Mattel, have attempted to do better at creating dolls with more authentic African-American features. The So-in-Style line of dolls, that I really don't like, but they do at least have various skin tones, fuller lips, and more prominent noses. I personally am a big proponent of natural hair, so I'm still not too keen on long, euro-silky hair, but it's a step in the right direction.

The 2010 Barbie Basics Collection is based on Black Label Fashion. Each collectible doll pays homage to fashion's iconic "little black dress", but again, I have a problem with one of the African- American versions of the doll. I actually "C-a- cup-le" of things wrong. There are twelve dolls in the collection, three are African-American and this is the only doll with a plunging neckline and visible cleavage. Now the doll is a collectible, which young girls are not meant to just play with, but is there really a reason a doll should have cleavage? Maybe Matell was inspired by female rapper, Nicki Minaj, who never goes anywhere without cleavage or referring to herself as a "Barbie". Nicki has also started a movement of young girls and women referring to themselves as "Barbies" which irks me as well. Seriously, out of all twelve dolls I'm curious as to how the African-American doll was chosen to "cleave nothing to the imagination".

For me Barbies' only saving grace is that she is the ultimate career woman. Barbie has several careers under her belt, 126 to be exact with the addition of two new careers added to her resume. This year Barbie became a News Anchorwoman and a Computer Engineer with the help of Barbie fans who cast their votes on which new career path Barbie should travel next.

I thought the new career choices were great and searched fervently online for an African-American version of both dolls. Sadly, I haven't come across one yet, but I did find that there is a Video Model Barbie that comes in the African-American version...ummm, that's interesting.

If did have a daughter I would much prefer her have a doll where there was already a positive image/persona and the doll was created off the strength of that. A woman who is smart, confident, beautiful in her own right and not defined by a perceived standard of beauty.

Dolls that I like and wouldn't mind giving to a daughter of mine:

Calista~ I absolutely love her shorter, natural hair! Finally, a doll that doesn't have hair flowing down her back. She’s smart, likes to read, and as displayed on her shirt, she prides herself on being chic and a geek.

Princess Tiana~ Our first Disney Princess and not your typical "disney chick"!

Venus and Serena Williams~ Having dominated the world of tennis since the early 90's, these sisters are fierce and currently at number 1 and 2 in the world among the rankings. Gotta love their power and prowess.

Lt. Nyota Uhura~ Chief Communications Officer aboard the Starship Enterprise, another trailblazing role for African American’s in television. I am not a Star Trek fan in the least, but I love that little black girls got to see her on television and not having to clean the spaceship.


Bessie Coleman~ African-American aviatress, affectionately known as "Queen Bess" or "Brave Bess", thrilled crowds with her aerial daredevil feats. Next to Ida B. Wells, Bessie Coleman has got to be my all-time favorite "Sheroe". The first Black woman to earn a pilots license. I love that on the anniversary of her death each year African-American pilots, both male and female, pay homage to her by performing a flyover of her grave to drop flowers. I can't wait until someone brings her biopic to the big screen!

Friday Foster~ Yup, that's right! Friday Foster, fashion model, photographer turned detective was originally a 70's comic strip parlayed into a 70's blaxploitation film. I'm fan of campy blaxploitation films and absolutely love all the street-smart heroines of that film genre who were beautiful and could kick some @$%!!!, and this is one of the more tamer films.

Carmen Jones ~ Dorothy Dandridge, our first leading lady, epitomized beauty, glamour and electrified in her Oscar- nominated role as Carmen Jones. A role that she was simply born to play, and she should have won that Oscar. Miss Dandridge was the first African -American to appear on the cover of LIFE magazine.



Eartha Kitt as Catwoman~ Eartha Kitt was one of three actresses to play Catwoman on the TV show Batman. She only appeared in 3 episodes in the last season of the show, but by far the most memorable and the only actress do the role any justice.

This Barbie Doll version of Catwoman was made later on , but there's nothing like the original.

These are the Barbies I would make exceptions for:

Alvin Ailey Barbie~I immediately thought Judith Jamison when I saw this doll, and she's someone whom I have the greatest admiration and respect for.

South African Princess & Model #4 of Barbie 210 Black Label Collection~I'm loving the skin color, hair length and texture on these dolls.

Elmo Barbie~ I love that this doll's hair has a natural, wavy realistic look, plus I love Elmo.



Diana Ross Barbie~ The supreme diva, Miss Ross. Enough said!



Julia Barbie ~ I loved the television show Julia, who was positively portrayed by Diahann Carroll, the first African American female to star in her own television show.

Presidential Candidate Barbie~ Yes, it's possible!

Oprah Winfrey Barbie~ Being a die-hard Oprah Winfrey fan, of course she would make my doll list. Oprah really doesn't have doll out to market, but the makers of Barbie made a one-of-a -kind specialty creation and presented it to her during a show. I wish she had given them permission to market it. I'm sure lots of little girls and women would love to have one.

Okay got's to give a shout out to the rag doll.

The old....

...and the new

I was able to find a couple of dolls of African Queens that Hollywood hadn't got to.

Egyptian Queen Nefertiti Doll ~ madamealexanderdolls

Egyptian Queen Cleopatra Doll~ juliesbeadedelements

I did come across PRODIGYRLS created expressly for African-American girls. I love that the doll are based on characters following their dreams, focusing on education and achievement. I also like that the character drawings of the dolls have various skin tones and hair textures, but a little disappointed that the actual dolls don't seem to fully reflect that, particularly the hair. But an overall beautiful concept.

I absolutely love these "dreadlocked barbies". They are custom created through a process call "repainting and trolling". A model of an existing doll is used, hair removed and replaced with yarn or mohair for a natural hair look and face repainted to give a more ethnic look to the doll. The artists behind these creations are Loanne Hizo Ostlie of Tabloach Productions , Twoonia Skyes at Ittakesafairy@gmail.com and OSS Doll Art.