Fearless Activist and Journalist Ida B. Wells is Celebrated with a Barbie Doll

Educator, journalist, anti-lynching activist, and NAACP co-founder Ida B. Wells is now joining the list of distinguished women honored by Mattel with her own signature Barbie doll. The new Ida B. Wells doll will be dressed in a deep blue, floor-length dress with lace details. Wells’ Barbie doll will also come with a historically significant accessory; a miniature replica of the Memphis Free Speech, the newspaper where she became editor and co-owner in 1889. Ida B. Wells now joins Mattel’s Inspiring Women Series, including dolls dedicated to Maya Angelou, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and singer Ella Fitzgerald.

Michelle Duster, author, public historian, and great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells stated: “I am honored that Barbie has chosen to celebrate my great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells, as part of its Inspiring Women Series. My great-grandmother was a trailblazer, who courageously followed her convictions and challenged the status quo by fighting for civil rights and women’s suffrage. This is an incredible opportunity to shine a light on her truth and enduring legacy to empower a new generation to speak up for what they believe in.”

Source: NPR