Nationwide — Kitty Black Perkins, the designer who created the first Black Barbie in 1980, is being honored in her hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The city has renamed Beacon Street as Kitty Black Perkins Boulevard to recognize her role in making the iconic doll more representative of Black girls.
Officials unveiled the new street sign Tuesday, celebrating a career that helped change the face of Barbie. Growing up in Spartanburg’s Highland neighborhood, Perkins rarely saw dolls that looked like her. She recalled playing with paper dolls and coloring them to match her skin tone. Those childhood experiences later shaped her desire to create toys that reflected the children who played with them.
After leaving South Carolina to study fashion design and pursue a career in the industry, she moved to Los Angeles and joined Mattel, Barbie’s manufacturer. She spent 28 years designing clothing and accessories for the doll. In 1980, she created the company’s first Black Barbie, giving Black girls a doll with features that more closely reflected their own. “I just felt there was a need for little girls to have someone who looks just like them,” she said.
Her work has continued to resonate with collectors and others who value representation in toys. Kelle Jolly traveled from Asheville, North Carolina, to attend the street dedication, wearing an outfit inspired by the original Black Barbie. She said seeing dolls with familiar skin tones, facial features, and hairstyles can help children feel seen and valued. “Representation is validation of your existence and your life,” Jolly said.
Perkins also hopes her accomplishments will inspire children growing up in Spartanburg to pursue their ambitions. She wants young people to understand that their hometown does not have to limit what they can achieve. “I want the kids that are growing up in this community to know that it’s not where you came from. It’s what you can do,” she said.
The new boulevard is the latest tribute to Perkins in her hometown, according to WYFF4. In October 2025, Spartanburg County Public Libraries opened the Kitty Black Perkins Maker Lab inside the Planetarium Learning Center at the Downtown Headquarters Library. The facility adds another way for her name and legacy to remain part of the community, particularly for young people interested in learning and creative pursuits.