Brooke Hart Jones, a Hampton University alum is using toys to celebrate the rich history of historically Black colleges and universities and all that they have to offer.
Jones is the owner and creator of HBCyoU Dolls. Jones also created the dolls to teach children about HBCUs. There are links to the dolls below the video. The dolls are also available at TARGET.COM
Anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells has been honored by Barbie as one of its “Inspiring Women” dolls, putting the journalist and suffragist in the company of celebrated poet Maya Angelou and civil rights leader Rosa Parks.
“The Barbie Inspiring Women Series pays tribute to pioneering journalist and tireless activist for racial and gender equality, Ida B. Wells.
This collectible Ida B. Wells Barbie doll wears a beautiful blue dress with lace details at the bodice, collar and waist. A Memphis Free Speech newspaper accessory completes her look.
Ida B. Wells Barbie doll is sculpted to her likeness and features articulation for endless posing possibilities and inspired displays.” ~ Barbie
Wells—who hailed from Holly Springs, Mississippi—tapped into the power of journalism to capture the injustices faced by African Americans in the South. Wells led groundbreaking investigative research around white mob violence and the lynching of Black men. She was one of the founders of the NAACP and played an instrumental role in the women’s suffrage movement. Her purpose was rooted in seeking truth and her legacy lives on through generations of journalists and activists.
Barbie® recognizes all female role models. The Inspiring Women™ Series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.
Rosa Louise Parks led an ordinary life as a seamstress until an extraordinary moment on December 1, 1955. When she refused an order to give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus, Mrs. Parks’ act of defiance became the catalyst for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Rosa Parks’ quiet strength played a notable role in the civil rights movement, but it would still take another nine years and more struggles before the 1964 Civil Rights Act overruled existing segregations laws. Hailed as “the Mother of the Modern Civil Rights Movement,” Rosa Parks earned worldwide recognition and numerous awards including the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal of Honor.
Celebrate Rosa Parks and her impact on the civil rights movement with this Inspiring Women™ Series Rosa Parks Barbie® doll. Includes doll stand, Certificate of Authenticity and doll wearing fashion and accessories. Colors and decorations may vary.
One of the few items on the Christmas list of Emily Noreen's 4-year-old daughter is a doll she can call her own.
"I want her to have something preferably that looks like her, which is hard because their father is African-American, and I'm white," Noreen said.
So she was heartened to find more than one option in the Our Generation line, a less-expensive alternative to American Girl, while perusing the toy aisles of Target. After some deliberation, she picked out a doll named Nahla, whose skin is a bit darker than her daughter's but whose curly hair was pretty close to her daughter's.
Richard Barry, chief merchandising officer for Toys R Us, said the changes in the toy aisles are happening as toymakers and retailers finally listen to customers' demands for more diversity.
"We hear from customers," he said. "We get applauded on the things we have, but they are also very keen to tell us the things we don't or the things they would like us to have. We feed that back to our manufacturing partners."
The need for more multicultural options was one of the insights Toys R Us took to heart when developing its private-label line of dolls called Journey Girls. Launched in 2010 with four dolls, it has expanded to seven dolls of all shades.
Read more: Doll diversity showing up in toy aisles
(Black PR Wire) EL SEGUNDO, Calif., - Barbie® honors Gabby Douglas, U.S. Women’s Artistic and Olympic Gold Gymnast (2012 London), by unveiling a one-of-a-kind doll in her likeness to remind girls they can be anything.
The 20-year-old athlete is a force to be reckoned with as she heads to Rio to defend her title. At just 16, Douglas was the first woman of color to win the individual all-around competition for gymnastics. Her confidence, work ethic and belief in herself make her an extraordinary role model to girls.
Named the next Barbie “Shero” honoree, a female hero inspiring girls by breaking boundaries and expanding possibilities for women everywhere, Douglas joins an esteemed group of women including Misty Copeland, Ava DuVernay, Emmy Rossum, Eva Chen, Trisha Yearwood and Zendaya, all who have also received the highest honor from the Barbie brand – being immortalized in plastic.
“I love a challenge. I love to push limits and I love that my very own Barbie celebrates me for being a role model to girls,” said Douglas. “Being honored as a Barbie Shero further motivates me to inspire girls by being the best I can be.”
The fashions for the doll were inspired by Douglas’ own signature GK leotard line that she wears while training hard in the gym. Dressed in a red, white and blue Gabby GK Elite leotard, the doll comes complete with a Nike warm-up suit. The doll is fully articulated, allowing her to do almost all of the moves Gabby performs.
“Playing with Barbie allows girls to imagine everything they can become," said Lisa McKnight, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Barbie. "While imagining you can be anything is the first step, seeing that you can is what makes all the difference. Role models like Gabby Douglas show girls that with determination and perseverance their potential is limitless.”
The Ava DuVernay Barbie doll has sold out on Mattel's website minutes after it first went on sale.
The Selma director's doll was met with particular excitement, with her twitter followers clamoring for Mattel to make the doll — which comes with a director's chair with her name on it — available to the public.
Mattel heard them, and DuVernay announced the sale of the Ava Barbie Sunday, tweeting, "Tomorrow this Ava Barbie goes on sale for Christmas because enough folks asked Mattel to do so." She added in another Tweet that all proceeds will be donated to Witness and Color of Change charities.
Mattel confirmed in a Dec. 6 Tweet that the dolls would be available for purchase Dec. 7 and that they would be providing further information about where to purchase them. At 10 a.m. PT, Mattel announced Monday, the dolls will go on sale at TheBarbieCollection.com
But they didn't last long, with DuVernay tweeting at 10:26 a.m. PT: "Sold out on Barbie collection, I'm told. More available at Amazon. What the hell is going on? #bananas #nuts #whoa"
Ava Barbie was indeed (briefly) available at Amazon — for pre-order. Selling for $65, the online retailer announced the doll would be released Jan. 1.
But even pre-order availability was short-lived, with Amazon selling out almost as quickly as Mattel had.
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Aiming to change the way black girls are perceived and perceive themselves, with support from a few big names when it launches in 24 states across America and delivers thousands of free Barbie dolls in various cities, The Black Doll Affair’s message will go into overdrive on December 5th.
Lead by Taye Diggs’ kid sister, ShalomIsrael Diggs, on Saturday, December 5th, 2015 at 1:00 pm in 24 states across America, 36 Black Doll Affair Ambassadolls (city and state representatives for The Black Doll Affair) and hundreds of living Dolls (women of all nationalities, primarily black) will deliver a message of self-esteem! That moment in time will mark The Black Doll Affair’s largest black doll delivery ever! Since 2007, supported by their members, fans and corporate sponsors like Macy’s and Mattel, The Black Doll Affair has donated thousands of toy black dolls to little girls across the country and, earlier this year, thirty new Ambassadolls came on board to help this Christmas.
The Black Doll Affair (BDA) announced that it recently named ShalomIsrael as an Honorary Black Doll, appointed her as their Ambassadoll for Harlem, NY and placed her at the helm of its annual national Black Doll Affair Christmas Doll Deliveries in Atlanta - a unique event where living Dolls come to life to deliver donated dolls and a message rooted in self-esteem and love for the doll in the mirror. This year’s Black Doll Affair Christmas Deliveries will occur December 5th at 1:00PM in all time zones. The benefactors of The Black Doll Affair’s gifts have already been chosen by the Ambassadolls. However, in Atlanta at Macy's Greenbriar Mall, beginning at 3:00 PM, on a first come basis, ShalomIsrael and The Black Doll Affair will host a public self-esteem Christmas party and doll giveaway.
"Becoming an Honorary Black Doll has been such a wonderful opportunity. I've had the privilege of meeting amazing women, collaborating with local organizations in Harlem and bringing about self-awareness to myself and others. December 5th marks a very special day. So that I can learn from the Doll that started it all (Dana Hill, BDA Founder) as a new Ambassadoll and take what I learn into Harlem, I am being flown to The Black Doll Affair’s headquarters for its Christmas deliveries at Macy’s Greenbriar Mall. I’m excited to help continue to spread a message of hope, beauty and high self-esteem for black girls,” said ShalomIsrael.
With his book "Chocolate Me" (co-collaborated with his childhood friend Shane Evans) as the official children's book of the BDA and as an Honorary Black Doll Brotha (literally and figuratively speaking, Brothas are what men are called in the BDA), Taye had this to say about his sister joining him in the movement: "I'm proud to know that my sister is aligning herself with the highly esteemed and relevant Black Dolls. The service this organization provides in today's current racial climate is both necessary and appreciated. Knowing ShalomIsrael's enthusiasm and commitment in matters such as these, the possibilities are very exciting! I’m wishing this collaboration good luck, onward and upwards!"
For more information, to get the latest news on Atlanta’s Doll Deliveries and a complete list of doll deliveries around the country, visit blackdollaffair.com. Follow The Black Doll Affair Christmas doll deliveries via our Facebook page at: Facebook.com/theblackdollaffair
About The Black Doll Affair
Founded in 2007, The Black Doll Affair was created as a solution to doll tests that revealed that black children prefer white dolls and view black dolls asugly and bad. Diversity partners with Macy’s, Inc., and Mattel, Inc., The Black Doll Affair [BDA] is a social organization and self-esteem movement driven by its primary members, The Black Dolls. Secondary members are the Black Doll’s Porcelain Pals (non-black members) and Brothas (male supporters). The Black Doll Affair has grown into 24 states across America and Washington, DC. The Black Dolls range in shade and shape. Eighteen years and older, from college students to grandmothers, career women to ladies of leisure, they are women that band together to tackle the black girls issues with shadeism, self hatred and low self-esteem. To deliver their message of internal and external beauty, they donate toy black dolls to toddlers, host self-esteem summitsfor teens and produce special events that promote and uplift black women. For fun, the Dolls, their Porcelain Pals and Brothas, enjoy each other at social play dates. To express the importance of community service, annually they donate hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to philanthropic causes that affect all races. These are the Affairs of The Black Dolls. For more information log onto blackdollaffair.com
Media Contact
Black Doll Affair Publicity
404-590-3655
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