This collectible Madam C.J. Walker Barbie® doll wears a full-length skirt and a blouse with beautiful floral print and ruffled details. Mattel's "Inspiring Women Series" has previously included Ida B. Wells, Ella Fitzgerald and Maya Angelou, among others. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-granddaughter who wrote her biography, said it's exciting to see Walker honored alongside these figures. Walker traveled through the South and Southeast selling her hair products door-to-door, and temporarily moved her base to Pittsburgh to train "hair culturists" at Lelia College, which she founded. As we often say, imagining that you can be anything is the beginning. Actually *seeing* that you can makes all the difference. And the Madam C.J. Walker Barbie Doll , the latest in our Inspiring Women Collection, is a powerful example of what’s possible with unflinching determination like hers. The doll would make a great gift for someone special in your life, and a terrific addition to your own collection. Head over to our online shop and get her today Because Walker was known for her hair care and cosmetics products, the team knew that needed to be a part of the overall presentation as well. “I wanted to capture Walker in a time in her life where she was selling her Wonderful Hair Grower, at public meetings and private home demonstrations – the true spirit of self-made,” Carlyle says. “So the doll even comes with a mini tin of her Wonderful Hair Grower!”

It's still very special to me that Madam Walker is part of a Barbie series because I know Barbie is international and reaches millions of people," she said. "So, it just really gives her a new exposure to an entirely new generation as well as the longtime Barbie collectors who are very passionate about it."

Walker was also a washerwoman for many years, Bundles said, signaling that she knew fabric and loved clothes. The Barbie® Inspiring Women™ Series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before. Madam C. J. Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 on a Delta, Louisiana cotton plantation. The daughter of parents who were formerly enslaved and became sharecroppers, Walker would become a successful entrepreneur and the nation’s first documented self-made female millionaire. Barbie® honors her unflinching determination with a collectible doll, sculpted to her likeness. Complete with a “Madam C.J. Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower” accessory, Madam C.J. Walker Barbie® doll makes a stunning addition to any collection. Doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity included. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary.

This celebration of Madam C.J. Walker makes a great gift for Barbie® collectors and kids ages 6 years old and up. Includes doll stand and Certificate of Authenticity.For Mattel, the toy is an opportunity to inspire children to break boundaries and educate them about Walker’s trailblazing career.

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The Madam C.J. Walker doll features a rendition of the entrepreneur wearing a floral printed blouse and turquoise skirt and holding her original product, “Wonderful Hair Grower.”