From Shondaland, Netflix debuts the official trailer for Black Barbie documentary. The documentary features Shonda Rhimes, Gabby Sidibe, Rep. Maxine Waters, and Ashley Blaine Featherson, who discuss the impact and revolution of Black Barbie’s creation at Mattel. Read more, check out a first look photo and watch the trailer inside.
More than just a doll. Black Barbie is a revolution. Netflix’s Black Barbie celebrates the momentous impact three Black women at Mattel had on the evolution of the Barbie brand as we know it. Through these charismatic insiders’ stories, the documentary tells the story of how the first Black Barbie came to be in 1980, examining the importance of representation and how dolls can be crucial to the formation of identity and imagination.
“That was a little act of revolution,” one creator shared in the trailer.
The streaming platform seems to be invested in telling underrepresented stories of Black and Brown people in recent years. Now, fans of the popular doll brand can discover the untold story of the first Black Barbie. They can also learn the pivotal role three trailblazing women at Mattel had in creating a doll who looked like them.
“I knew Black Barbie was different but I never realized the magnitude,” another person shared in the documentary trailer.
The powerful impact of Black Barbie allowed children to learn about inclusiveness. For so long, many young Black girls never felt represented by the Mattel Barbie brand with most of their products featuring White Barbies with blonde hair and blue eyes.
One little girl played with a Black Barbie in the trailer saying the doll looked like her and even had locs like her. A beautiful sight to see.
Black Barbie premieres June 19, only on Netflix.
Check out a first look photo below:
Watch the official trailer below: