Netflix Reveals First Look at Shonda Rhimes’ New Documentary, Black Barbie Trailer
Shonda Rhimes is bringing the story of the first Black Barbie to Netflix!
Following last year’s Barbie craze, a new documentary revisits the topic, focusing on the Black Barbie. The film will also explore its significance within the community and feature some of the Black employees at Mattel during that time!
The Black Barbie documentary trailer has been released
For many young girls, their favorite toy was so lacking in diversity that Black girls felt excluded. “When I think of Barbie, I see a little white doll with blue eyes in all pink. That’s what I think,” a woman remarks in the trailer.
However, when the first Black Barbie was introduced in 1980, it sparked a cultural movement that influenced generations of young Black girls. “I designed Black Barbie to reflect the total look of a Black woman,” Kitty Black Perkins, the designer of Black Barbie, stated in the clip.
Another woman reads the words inscribed on the doll box, “She’s Black. She’s beautiful. She’s dynamite.”
What does the documentary cover?
The documentary is directed by Lagueria Davis and produced by Shondaland’s Shonda Rhimes in partnership with Netflix. The narrative delves into the origins of Black Barbie and its evolution from being just an accessory to Barbie to becoming a prominent doll.
Beulah Mae Mitchell, who was employed at Mattel at the time, shared a photo of herself with Barbie creator Ruth Handler. She disclosed in the trailer that Handler frequently sought her input, and she unabashedly stated, “‘We want a Black Barbie.’”
Former Mattel employees Mitchell, Perkins, and Stacey McBride Irby reminisced about the period leading up to the release of the first Black Barbie. Other women featured in the clip expressed how the introduction of Black Barbie influenced their childhoods.
The documentary is set to premiere on Netflix on June 19.