Christie was Mattel’s first Black character in the Barbie world, introduced in 1968.
Christie joined Barbie’s supporting cast during a period when Mattel was broadening the appearance and backgrounds of its fashion dolls. Her early releases featured contemporary clothing and hairstyles that positioned her as part of Barbie’s fashionable social circle. She was marketed as a friend of Barbie rather than as Barbie herself.
Christie’s debut is often mixed up with the first Black Barbie, which Mattel introduced in 1980. Christie’s earlier arrival is important because it shows that representation in the Barbie universe developed in stages: first through a friend character, and later through a doll officially presented as Barbie.
Her name also appears across multiple generations of dolls, so exact outfits vary by release. The stable historical fact is her 1968 introduction and her role as the first Black character in the Barbie world.