Barbie revealed its Rosa Parks doll Monday (Aug. 26) as part of the Barbie’s Inspiring Women series. Dressed in a tweed coat, gloves and Parks’ trademark glasses, the doll is a true replica of the beloved civil rights leader.
“Rosa Louise Parks led an ordinary life as a seamstress until an extraordinary moment on December 1, 1955,” Barbie’s description of the dolls reads. “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 segregation laws.”
Along with Parks, Mattel will also unveil dolls of other heroic women including artist Frida Khalo, mathematician Katherine Johnson, and pilot Amelia Earhart.
The $30 doll is available for pre-order now and is expected to be shipped in September.
The iconic doll brand has honored several women of color in the past including Academy-Award nominated director Ava DuVernay, actress Yara Shahidi, model, and activist Adwoa Aboah along with countless others.
Well done, Mattel.