In honor of Black History Month, MAD will present a free screening of the critically acclaimed Black Barbie: A Documentary. The film celebrates the momentous impact of Beulah Mae Mitchell (the aunt of writer-director Lagueria Davis), Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride-Irby: three generations of Black female employees at Mattel who together spearheaded the development of the toy company’s first Black dolls for the Barbie brand. Through their charismatic insiders’ stories, the documentary reconstructs the fascinating history of how the women convinced Barbie’s creator, Ruth Handler, to first produce a Black doll named Christie in 1968 and later the even more successful line of Black Barbies.  Interviews with Black Barbie fans, scholars, and child development experts illuminate the power of representation in the formation of children’s identity and imagination while also poignantly underscoring the enduring legacy of this trio of pioneering toy creators. 

Following the screening, there will be a conversation with the film’s director, Lagueria Davis, and film programmer Samah Ali. 

About the Participants

Lagueria Davis wrote and directed Black Barbie: A Documentary, 'a gorgeous film with heart' acquired by Shondaland after its acclaimed premiere at SXSW and a very successful festival run. It premiered on Netflix on Juneteenth 2024 and was recently nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Best Documentary-Television. Davis hails from Fort Worth, TX and brings her Southern, Black, and Queer perspectives to a range of premium storytelling as a writer and director. Lagueria currently resides in Los Angeles and is developing her scripted feature directorial debut.

Samah Ali is a festival and in-flight entertainment programmer based in New York City. As the Video Programming Manager at Stellar Entertainment, she curates movies and television shows for airlines around the world, as well as programs for Academy Award-qualifying festivals. In her spare time, Samah sits on the Board of Directors at The Black Screen Office in Canada.