The Black Dolls® |

Above: Mama Doll and Iris Doll at The Black Doll Affair’s YO! Barbie Style Fashion Show.

The Doll Test Study That Inspired Mama Doll to Start a Movement to Celebrate Blackness.

With members living nationwide and abroad, The Black Doll Affair is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dana Hill created the movement on December 7, 2007, after viewing a Doll Test featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show in Kiri Davis’ documentary, A Girl Like Me. Disturbed by Black children identifying themselves as bad and ugly, Dana’s sister, Christy, convinced her to throw parties for Black women and girls to celebrate themselves and be celebrated.

Convinced, Mama Doll threw what was supposed to be a one-time holiday party on December 21, 2007. The first-ever Black Doll Affair was hosted by P. Diddy’s then-popular restaurant, Justin’s. At the time, she thought she would return to corporate America following her failed billboard publicity stunt (live link)—but the party became a global movement.

The Black Doll Affair went on to partner with Macy’s, the world’s largest department store; Mattel, the world’s most famous doll company; and some of the biggest names (live link)—in the Civil Rights Movement, Black Hollywood, and local politics.

Above: The Original Black Doll Affair Christmas Party Flyer.

Mama Doll, Founder of The Black Doll Affair

Fondly known as “Mama Doll,” she cherishes the nickname given to her by her members, The Black Dolls. The membership comprises Black women, their Porcelain Pal Dolls—non-Black female supporters—and their Brothas—men of all races. Collectively, they are The Black Dolls.

The Black Dolls’ mission is to change how Black girls are perceived and, more importantly, how they perceive themselves. They accomplish their mission with Black dolls—living and toy. From Barbie & Nikki Talking Racism—(link)—to Red Nose Day, Mama Doll is the visionary behind most of The Black Doll Affair’s initiatives.

Beginning with Beverly Bond’s Black Girls Rock in 2006, followed by Mama Doll creating The Black Doll Affair in 2007, a new era of Black empowerment started to take shape in American pop culture. Years before hashtags like BlackGirlMagic, #BlackLivesMatter, #BlackExcellence, #BlackBoyJoy, #MelaninMagic and #OscarsSoWhite, created by our own Honorary Black Doll April Reign, The Black Dolls were an early voice in the movement empowering Black women and girls. For nearly two decades, The Black Doll Affair has used Black dolls to build self-esteem, inspire philanthropy, and start conversations about race, identity, beauty, and worth. We bought them. We donated them. We empowered them. We lifted them up where they belong. We Made them a magical part of the cultural zeitgeist.

Mama Doll watches as little girl at a Black Doll Affair admires her black dolls.

Above: ESSENCE: “Dolls And Black Girl’s Self-Esteem” : December 8, 2009 article that specifically discusses The Black Doll Affair and Dana Hill.

Working with Mattel's Barbie team, The Black Doll Affair and its members, The Black Dolls, have done a commendable job of reversing Doll Tests results via their Be a Doll, give a doll programming and Tween Self-Esteem Summits. From empowering children at the Boys & Girls Clubs, YWCA, MLK Center in Atlanta and Girls Inc., and smaller early childhood educational organizations that empower our children to love themselves, we are excited about the next chapter of our work with our ME Doll - a doll created by the founder of The Black Doll Affair to help end racism so that hashtags and orgs like ours no longer have to exist. 

The Black Dolls - Recipient of Barack Obama’s Presidential Service Award

The Black Dolls accepted invitations to Congressman John Lewis’ Washington, D.C., office and President Barack Obama’s White House. The Black Doll Affair received a Volunteer Service Award from President Obama.

Celebrities supporting the movement include Barbie, Gabrielle Union, Danny Strong, Taye Diggs, and the Brown sisters of Brown v. Board of Education. The Browns are the namesake family of the historic Supreme Court case in which the Doll Test was first officially conducted.

The Black Doll Affair celebrated its 10th anniversary on December 17, 2017, and will celebrate its 20th anniversary on December 17, 2027.

In a world of mean-girl brands that do little to promote #BlackGirlMagic, Mama Doll has been shining a light on the forgotten community of Black women who get along, play well with others, behave dolling, promote kindness in sisterhood, and rock their self-esteem beautifully.

For more than a decade, Mama Doll has been building a healthy “playground” for Black women and girls. Her day job as their champion and cheerleader, her talent for marketing their magic, her gift for communicating their worth, and her ability to operate their large movement, build her dolling team, and lift them up where they belong—all while partnering with them to give back with their big philanthropic hearts—have literally changed the game and set The Black Doll Affair sisterhood apart.

Honorary Black Doll, Theresa Tha Songbird, reminds a baby doll of her value! 

Having chosen the Black heart as the icon in its logo, The Black Doll Affair is a group of philanthropists devoted to giving back to “the Doll in the mirror, the Doll next door, and the guys, Dolls, and baby dolls in our community.

Annually, during the Christmas season, Mama Doll works with her AmbassaDolls—leaders in cities across the United States—to host self-esteem summits and Black Doll giveaways at 1:00 p.m. in every time zone on the first Saturday in December.

The Black Dolls’ “Pretty… Philanthropic®” work has been recognized by Barbie, President Barack Obama, Congressman John Lewis—who proclaimed December 12 “The Black Doll Affair Day” in Atlanta, Georgia—and everyday heroes who decided to become Black Dolls and Love Hue.®