*American Girl is releasing a civil rights themed doll to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Melody Ellison is the third black doll in its BeForever collection, and her story: she’s 9, and growing up in Detroit during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
According to a press release, “after seeing her family members face racial discrimination and experiencing it for herself, Melody decides to add her voice to those who are speaking up about inequality.”
Buzzfeed notes that Melody loves to sing, and naturally, she loves Motown music. American Girl consulted with a team of historians and educators, including civil rights activist Julian Bond, to assist with the doll’s design. Melody joins Addy and Kaya as the three non-white dolls in a lineup of stylish girls with unique stories from different periods of American history. Kaya is a Native American girl who dreams of becoming a leader, and Addy is a slave who escaped to freedom.
Previously, the collection included Cecile Rey, who came from a wealthy black family in New Orleans, and Ivy Ling, a “lucky” Chinese American girl who loves gymnastics. Both have since been discontinued, per Jezebel. The decision was criticized by customers for the loss of racial diversity in doll offerings.
American Girl’s senior historian Mark Speltz explained to CBS This Morning how he helped develop Melody’s narrative.
“When we learn about the Civil Rights movement, we learn about a handful of really important people,” Speltz explained. “But the movement was … driven by average, ordinary Americans, like Melody.”
“I think the doll industry has a very heavy responsibility in reflecting what is true about our society,” Julia Prohaska, senior director of global brand at American Girl, told CBS This Morning.
In an American Girl article introducing Melody, the company shares its motivation behind developing her:
“Your daughter may be learning about Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Civil Rights movement in school, but even in our own changing times, civil rights issues and the social climate of the 1960s may be difficult for her to fully understand. That is why we are so proud to introduce our compelling new BeForever™ character, Melody, whose story reflects the changing face and history of the nation during that important era.”
Melody’s price is $115, not including additional accessories, and will hit shelves this summer.
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