in the beginning this twelvemonth , Mattel added aMaya Angelou Barbieto its “ Inspiring Women ” serial publication . Now , in honor of International Women ’s Day on March 8 , the toy retailer is introducing yet another inimitable historical name to the rank : Eleanor Roosevelt .
As the niece of a president ( Theodore Roosevelt ) and wife of another United States President ( Franklin Roosevelt),Eleanor Rooseveltwas well - equipped to wield a sure amount of power in the political sector . She used that chance to further the feminist agenda and make “ First Lady ” a more modern function — she even host women - only White House press conference to give distaff reporters access that was ordinarily deny to them . She also shared her personal and political opinions in a syndicated newspaper newspaper column calledMy Day , which ran for nearly three decades;protestedsegregation and advocated for civic right ; and served as a delegate to the United Nations .
" We are enthralled to welcome former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to the Barbie Inspiring Women series and to shine a brightness level on how her tenacity as a champion of policy around civil and economic rights made an impingement on the world , " Lisa McKnight , senior vice President of the United States and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel , toldPEOPLE .
Eleanor Roosevelt ’s Barbie semblance — wear a black chapeau , opprobrious loafers , and a drawing string of pearl to complement her floral - patterned dress — is currently available for $ 30 fromWalmartandTarget .
It ’s not the only way Mattel is celebrating International Women ’s Day . The companionship is also debuting a video series calledYou Can Be Anything , which aims to animate the next generation of distaff leaders with educational and interactional content on a variety of topics , from STEAM to sports . It ’ll also feature celebrity role models like role player Yara Shahidi and activist Mari Copeny . A new episode will be available to stream viaFacebookorYouTubeevery Saturday in March .
[ h / tPEOPLE ]
