The documentary will be released on Netflix on Juneteenth, which is June 19.
The trailer for Shondaland’s Black Barbie shows how the important dolls were made, with interviews from the women who helped create them at Mattel and others involved.
“If you go through life and you’ve never seen anything that looks like you, it can be harmful,” says executive producer Shonda Rhimes at the start of the trailer. She also says, “I thought Black Barbie felt magical.”
Netflix says Black Barbie celebrates the Black women at Mattel who played a huge role in making Barbie what it is today. The documentary tells the story of how the first Black Barbie was made in 1980 and talks about why it’s important to see dolls that look like you and how they can help shape identity and imagination.
Kitty Black Perkins, the designer of Black Barbie, says in the trailer, “I designed Black Barbie to reflect the total look of a Black woman.” Lagueria Davis directs Black Barbie, inspired by her great aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell’s story. Beulah Mae worked at Mattel and was brave enough to ask the co-founder, Ruth Handler, about making a doll that looked like her.
The documentary also talks about the history of Black dolls, their impact on civil rights and Black entrepreneurship, and how playing with dolls can shape children’s identity. It highlights the women who felt represented by these dolls.
Black Barbie will be available on Netflix on June 19, also known as Juneteenth.