Popsugar Parenting Crowned Ida B. Wells Gets Barbie in Inspiring Women Series Ida B. Wells Is the Latest Historical Black Icon to Be Turned Into a Barbie Doll 11 January 2022 by Kate Schweitzer Image Source: Mattel As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. The latest Black historical figure to join the ranks of female icons who have been morphed into Barbie Dolls is Civil Rights activist Ida B. Wells. The late investigative journalist – who was also one of the original founders of the NAACP – dedicated her career to reporting on the racial injustices of African American people that occurred in the South during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her devotion to combating racism and sexism by challenging the status quo over her lifetime made her an obvious addition to Mattel's "Inspiring Women" collection, an initiative launched by the toymaker to help inspire young girls through representation and close what it refers to as the "Dream Gap." The series, which spotlights historical and present-day role models who paved the way for generations of girls, has paid tribute to nearly a dozen figures so far, most recently inducting Helen Keller and Eleanor Roosevelt into Barbie fame. Among them, Ida will mark the fifth Black figure to be included. Before her, Rosa Parks, Ella Fitzgerald, and Maya Angelou have all gotten the Barbie doll treatment. Katherine Johnson also received one, though hers is no longer listed on Mattel's site. The new Ida doll will be available nationwide at Amazon, Walmart, and Target on Jan. 17, but read on to learn more about all the Black "Inspiring Women" Barbies included so far. Ida B. Wells Barbie Image Source: Mattel The Ida B. Wells doll shows her in the middle of a newsroom draped in a blue dress holding a Memphis Free Speech newspaper. Image Source: amazon.com Ida B. Wells Barbie Doll ($35) is available for pre-order and will go on sale on Jan. 17. Ida B. Wells Barbie Doll $35 from amazon.com Buy Now Maya Angelou Barbie Image Source: Mattel The doll inspired by famed writer Dr. Maya Angelou comes with a miniature replica of her prolific autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and features a traditional dress and head wrap and a face custom-scultped to her likeness. Image Source: creations.mattel.com Maya Angelou Barbie Doll ($35) Maya Angelou Barbie Doll $35 from creations.mattel.com Buy Now Ella Fitzgerald Barbie Image Source: Mattel The doll for Ella Fitzgerald, one of the most beloved jazz singers in the world, features a curvy body type and a stage-ready look – complete with a microphone. Image Source: amazon.com Ella Fitzgerald Barbie Doll ($31) Ella Fitzgerald Barbie Doll $31 from amazon.com Buy Now Rosa Parks Barbie Image Source: Mattel When Rosa Parks refused an order to give up her seat to a white passenger and move to the back of the bus, her act of defiance became the catalyst for change. This doll honours the woman hailed as "the mother of the modern Civil Rights movement." Image Source: amazon.com Rosa Parks Barbie Doll ($28, originally $35) Rosa Parks Barbie Doll $28 from amazon.com Buy Now Katherine Johnson Barbie Image Source: Mattel One of the three mathematicians depicted in the hit movie Hidden Figures, NASA employee Katherine Johnson, was also honoured with her own Barbie doll. Image Source: amazon.com Katherine Johnson Barbie Doll ($70) Katherine Johnson Barbie Doll $70 from amazon.com Buy Now CrownedAntiracismToysGender EqualityKid ShoppingBarbie