This Day In History - Barbie Debuts 1959

Barbie Debuts 1959

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

All Day

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Event Description

On this day in 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display atthe American Toy Fair in New York City.

Eleven inches tall, with a waterfall of blond hair, Barbie was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States with adult features. The woman behind Barbie was Ruth Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945. After seeing her young daughter ignore her baby dolls to play make-believe with paper dolls of adult women, Handler realized there was an important niche in the marketfor a toy that allowed little girls to imagine the future.

Event Location

New York City, NY, United States