Opal Lee, grandmother of Juneteenth, gets her own Barbie doll
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Sarah Bahari, Dallas Morning News
Mattel said the Barbie is meant to honor Lee’s “mission of empowering communities to spark positive change.”
She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has received more than a half dozen honorary doctorates.
Still, little could prepare Opal Lee for this: At age 99, the civil rights icon is being honored with her very own Barbie doll. Mattel, the toy company behind the famous Barbie brand, announced Thursday it will celebrate Lee with a collectible from its Inspiring Women collection.
The Barbie is wearing a signature blue Opal’s Walk for Freedom T-shirt, white pants, sneakers and eye glasses. She has Lee’s curly mop of gray hair, and her hand is placed on a hip, as if she is ready to go.
Lee’s granddaughter, Dione Sims, said Lee screamed in delight when she first saw the doll, which is available in stores across the country beginning today.
“She is so excited,” Sims said. “She couldn’t believe it.”
In a statement, Mattel said the Barbie is meant to honor Lee’s “mission of empowering communities to spark positive change” and honors her “legacy of perseverance and commitment,” championing Juneteenth and civil rights. Images of Lee are printed on the box, as well as one of favorite quotes: “If people can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.”
Lee, a retired public school teacher and activist in Fort Worth, is widely known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth” for her successful campaign to have Juneteenth recognized as a national holiday.
[…]
The Barbie is wearing a signature blue Opal’s Walk for Freedom T-shirt, white pants, sneakers and eye glasses. She has Lee’s curly mop of gray hair, and her hand is placed on a hip, as if she is ready to go.
Lee’s granddaughter, Dione Sims, said Lee screamed in delight when she first saw the doll, which is available in stores across the country beginning today.
The original article details Lee’s story.
Learn about the first Black Barbie’s impact.
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