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Netflix will premiere the Black Barbie documentary on June 19, 2024. The documentary has been directed by Lagueria Davis who will provide viewers with an in-depth look into the fascinating history and the powerful impact of the first Black Barbie doll. It is expected to offer a deep insight into how toys can reflect our identities and highlight the importance of diversity, which makes it more than just a simple retelling of events.
Lagueria Davis, the director, was personally motivated by her great aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell. Mitchell used to work at Mattel, a toy company, and she played a big part in ensuring there was a Barbie doll that resembled her. The documentary focuses on showing how her efforts and those of others helped change the world of toys forever, which in turn continues to change new generations today in a much better way.
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The true story behind the first Black Barbie
The creation of the first Black Barbie in 1980 was a major event for the toy industry. Moreover, it changed the way modern people think about being represented as a culture, which is far from what used to happen before the simple doll was made. Before this, most toys looked like the majority of people and didn't show the variety of people who played with them.
The documentary Black Barbie takes a close look at how Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride Irby, all three Black women, came up with a new idea and kept pushing the toy company Mattel to do something out of the box. Obviously, no one had any idea that it would change the world of toys forever.
The group of women faced a lot of challenges to make Black Barbie a reality for numerous reasons, one of which was that nothing like that had been done before. At that time, the standard of beauty was typically Western, and pushing for a doll that showed African American features was a radical idea. Their motive was to challenge the normal ways of thinking in society and push for more racial diversity in the toy line, which was way more than just changing the doll.
The documentary shows all these themes through intimate interviews, archival footage, and personal testimonials, which creates a vivid tableau of the era. The battles these women faced will also be shown in the documentary, which in turn will show the crucial role these dolls play in the formation of identity and self-perception among children.
By seeing a doll that looks like them, children of color could finally feel a sense of belonging and validation, which was largely absent in popular media and toys at the time.
The film touches on the broader implications of their success and how a simple yet bold idea can ripple out to influence civil rights and entrepreneurial spirit within the Black community. It encapsulates the emotional and societal impact of Black Barbie, making it clear that these dolls were symbols of change and harbingers of hope, which is way far from just being toys young girls can play with.
Bringing the story to life through documentary
Lagueria Davis directed Black Barbie with a personal and informed perspective drawing on her familial connection to the story. Her approach ensures that it's a heartfelt tribute to the women who dared to redefine standards of beauty and representation in an industry that had long excluded them, making it more than just another historical account.
The involvement of Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers as executive producers under the Shondaland banner adds a layer of depth and production quality that promises to engage and inspire audiences who are into cinematic documentaries that speak the truth.
Black Barbie uses different ways to tell the story of the first Black Barbie, including interviews with the women who led this change and experts on toys, culture, and civil rights. The film also put its hands on old footage and personal stories to show the challenges and the raw emotions these pioneers faced and the successes they achieved.
Be ready to witness this historic documentary on Netflix right on June 19, 2024. Fans would need a subscription to watch it on the platform.
