Barbie honors first female self-made millionaire, Madam C.J. Walker, with new doll

Madam C.J. Walker is joining Barbie’s lineup of Inspiring Women dolls which pays tribute to “incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.”

Walker, who is known as the nation’s first documented self-made female millionaire, was known for her entrepreneurial skills as she built her haircare and cosmetic brand from the ground up in the early 1900s.

Madam C.J. Walker is widely considered the first self-made female millionaire in the United States.

Her hair care products were born out of necessity after she started suffered from an illness which caused her to lose her hair. After testing many homemade remedies, she found a solution which resulted in Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower, a scalp conditioning and healing formula.

Walker’s Barbie features the entrepreneur wearing a floral printed blouse and vibrant turquoise skirt, holding her original product, “Wonderful Hair Grower.”

The daughter of former slaves, Walker was born Sarah Breedlove. She achieved revolutionary success by founding Walker Manufacturing Co., a line of hair care products and cosmetics designed for Black women, and employing thousands of Black women at her company.

Aside from being a hair care magnate, Walker was also known for her contributions to the NAACP anti-lynching movement, supporting orphanages and Black colleges, and advocating for civil rights organizations and women’s rights.

“As a pioneer in entrepreneurship, philanthropy and activism, creating the blueprint for the self-made American businesswoman and innovators of the twentieth century, Madam C.J. Walker is an embodiment of our Barbie Inspiring Women series,” Lisa McKnight, execute vice president and global head of Barbie for Mattel said in a statement.

She joins other prominent women like Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells and Ella Fitzgerald, who also have had Barbies made in their likenesses.

The doll is available on Amazon.com and Walmart.com for $35.