American Girl recently debut it’s newest doll, Melody Ellison and she’s probably not like any other dolls you’ve seen.
A doll like this didn’t exist when I was growing up. Most of mine were white. I remember being super excited when I got my first black doll. We had just moved to Brooklyn, NY from Jamaica.
It was a big deal back then because finding a black doll was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. In retrospect, not seeing myself represented had a negative impact on my self-esteem. I think that’s why it’s so important for our daughter to have dolls of color like Melody. We want her to have a strong sense of identity and having a doll like this also reinforces self love.
What Makes American Girl Melody Ellison Special
Melody Ellison isn’t like any other American Girl. The 18-inch doll has dark brown eyes and black hair, sporting styles from the 1960s. There are lots of accessories, including a Motown-inspired recording studio that plays and records music, a Melody block party set, and other items that bring her 1960s-era world to life.
This 9-year-old girl grew up in Detroit at time when the civil rights movement took center stage and iconic figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. provided hope for a positive change.
We received the doll along with the BeForever book, Never Stop Singing. It didn’t take long for Princess to add it to her bedtime reading routine.
In Never Stop Singing Melody celebrates her 10th birthday, which happens to fall on New Year’s Eve. But that date is also very significant to African American culture. It celebrates the tradition “Watch Night,” a time when black people gathered to wait for the announcement from Abraham Lincoln that all slaves were free on New Year’s Day, 1863.
The story also touches on tragic events including the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama that took the lives of four young girls, and the murder of John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas.
Even though this book is meant for ages eight and up, our 6-year-old daughter is no stranger to this type of content. We’ve discussed African American culture in addition to her Jamaican, Irish, and German heritage.
This is an important time in history that helped to bring about world wide change and it’s important for her to know that. At just 9-years-old, Melody is discouraged by these horrific tragedies and is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and her oldest sister to keep singing.
This is a story that rings true today. Racism still plays out in the news today. Melody bridges the past and present for girls and shows them how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they come together to make a meaningful difference, according to American Doll.
But as much as our daughter enjoys learning about history, she also enjoys playing with her dolls. Whether combing her hair or changing outfits, her American Girl dolls are usually by her side.
American Girl continues to create dolls that represent girls of all ages. It will be interesting to see what kind of doll they’ll come with next. The Melody Ellis design team got her hair right. It would be nice to see them design a natural hair line, representing our many curly textures. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Melody Ellison, book, sand accessories are now available nationwide for more information, visit the American Girl website.
What do you think of the Melody Ellison American Girl doll?
Disclaimer: We received a complimentary Melody Ellison American Girl doll. All opinions are my own.
She is so cute. My daughter loves AG dolls.
What a beautiful doll! It’s so important to have a variety of backgrounds represented in the doll collections! Thank you for this post!