Shirelle Returns

How did I not even mention that I won a vintage "First Black Barbie" on ebay? I won her before I even thought about bidding on the fourth Blythe Doll! She is a NRFB (Never removed from box) genuine first Black Barbie Doll that Mattel ever released. She is also the first Barbie my mom ever gave me, the first I've ever owned, and I adored her! I named her Shirelle because she reminded me of one of those sexy, black singers from the 50s and 60s. I guess subconsciously I was also thinking of the Shirelles. I was only around ten years old or so. What the heck did I know about the Shirelles? It was no doubt the influence of my dad playing Hal Jackson's Sunday Morning Classics every weekend that had developed a fondness in me for those fifties all female group singers.

The picture above on the bottom is of the First Black Barbie's head on the body of another doll. It's very clever and a better picture than the top stock photo on ebay but the one I will be getting is the one in the ebay picture. I just got an email today from the very nice lady I won it from telling me it was shipped out in the mail.

I remember not so much playing with Shirelle (she didn't have any friends yet) as much as posing her and placing her trophy-like on high objects in my room. Her arms were perfect for placing on her hips and in her hair. I liked that a lot. It was a bit awkward at first for me, this first encounter with a mature play doll. All my dolls were babies and stuffed toys. None were women with curves, breasts, sexy gowns and high heels. The messages of a womanhood years in the making began to speak softly through Shirelle's doe-like eyes. And of all the black Barbies that Mattel created afterward, none other ever looked quite as unique as this one or captured my heart in quite the same way.