Inspiring Women: Dr. Maya Angelou Barbie | Source: Mattel/the Toy Insider

The latest addition to Barbie‘s Inspiring Women Series from Mattel invites kids to dream big with the Dr. Maya Angelou doll that honors the writer, author, activist, and teacher.

Dr. Maya Angelou held many accolades and awards throughout her life and was well-known for her autobiography: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. She inspired many through her work in activism and writing, and her doll allows kids to gain inspiration from her work through play.

The doll wears a head wrap and floor-length dress with a floral print. It carries a miniature replica of Angelou’s prolific autobiography.

Related: Be Inspired by Barbies Based on Historical Women

Other dolls in the collection are inspired by Amelia Earhart, Katherine Johnson, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Sally Ride, Billie Jean King, Ella Fitzgerald, Florence Nightingale, and Susan B. Anthony — all of whom made history by making the world a better place.

Barbie is dedicated to diversity and inclusion in its dolls. As part of its 2020 commitment to the Black community, more than half of the role models featured in the collection will be Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color. Barbie continues to work with the Dream Gap Project Fund and Black Girls CODE.

About the author

Nicole Savas

Nicole Savas

As a kid, Nicole either wanted to be a professional toy player-wither or a writer. Somehow, as social media editor for The Toy Insider, The Toy Book, and The Pop Insider, she’s found a career as both. She's grateful to work somewhere that she can fully embrace both her love of teddy bears and her admiration for the Oxford comma. When she's not playing with toys at work, she's playing with her baby girl at home.

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