The 1980 doll widely recognized as the first Black Barbie was named Black Barbie.
Black Barbie was an important milestone in the brand’s representation history. Although Mattel had previously released dolls representing Black characters, including the 1967 friend doll Francie, Black Barbie was the first doll marketed as Barbie herself with Black identity.
The 1980 release had a distinct face and styling created for the character rather than simply presenting a recolored version of the standard white Barbie. Kitty O’Neil is credited with designing the doll’s face sculpt, and the release formed part of Mattel’s effort to broaden Barbie’s representation.
Collectors sometimes describe earlier Black characters as the first Black Barbie, especially because Black Francie appeared in 1967. The distinction matters: Black Francie was a separate character, while the 1980 release was explicitly Black Barbie.