Natural Textured Hair Barbie Dolls

Natural Textured Hair Barbie Dolls

There was a lesson in self-esteem for some African-American girls in Columbus, Georgia today.

The little girls of Girls Inc. received "natural (textured) hair barbie dolls" from a local group of women.

The dolls provided lots of love, learning as well as laughter.  Although it seemed like a normal day in the Girls Inc., classroom, the girls were in a for a big surprise.

Fro-lific, a Columbus meet-up group for women with natural hair, arrived at the Girls Inc., classroom to donate African-American barbies they had collected during a doll drive and then made-over with natural hairdos.

The For-lific group took the dolls and changed their hair to natural by boiling it in water and then painstakingly set the hair with special styling products on a tiny straws which are similar to a traditional straw set.

Black Barbie Doll Drive Organizer, Candace McBride as the girls “Does anyone know what being natural means?”

What did the girls think?  One girl said "I love my Barbie,” said one girl. “I think she’s pretty.”

The women hope the dolls teach a lesson with much more meaning than just hair: Self-esteem.  They hope the diverse shades, textures and style will help them all love themselves for who they are.

The dolls were delivered to girls at the Booker T. Washington center of Girls Incorporated. It's a non-profit organization that aims to empower young girls.