Have you seen the new BeForever doll from American Girl?  She’s incredible and revolutionary…..she’s Melody Ellison*!  Melody comes to us from 1964 Detroit.  Growing up during the Civil Rights movement, she is all about equality.  Learning about her life and her passions help girls today learn what it was like to grow up in that era and the importance of the movement she was a part of.  Melody has an excellent voice and puts that talent to use in her church and with her brother’s Motown music.  She also uses her voice to combat discrimination.

Melody is absolutely adorable.  Every detail of her outfit is fitting of one growing up in the 60s.  I love her A line yellow and blue dress, white socks, and her sweet patent leather turquoise shoes!  Her hair is styled in a tight turquoise headband to match the shoes and is so cutely coiffed. Her skin and hair coloring are absolutely lovely, with the sweetest eyes.  She is a great addition to the BeForever American Girl line of dolls.

Ensuring the historical accuracy and cultural authenticity of Melody’s story and product collection was imperative, so American Girl worked for over two years with an esteemed six-member advisory board who reviewed and provided input on all aspects of Melody’s development—from the doll, books, outfits, accessories, issues, and story setting. The Melody advisory board members included:

• The late Horace Julian Bond, chairman emeritus, NAACP Board of Directors and founding member of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
• Gloria House, director and professor emerita, African and African American Studies, University of Michigan-Dearborn
• Juanita Moore , President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit and founding executive director of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis
• Rebecca de Schweinitz, associate professor of history, Brigham Young University, Utah, and author of If We Could Change the World: Young People and America’s Long Struggle for Racial Equality
• Thomas J. Sugrue, professor of history at New York University and author of Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North
• JoAnn Watson, native of Detroit, ordained minister, and former executive director of the Detroit NAACP

To celebrate the debut of Melody,  American Girl is launching the Lift Your Voice with Melody campaign. Fans can watch the Lift Your Voice with Melody video  and then share their own inspiring videos and photos on how they make a difference, using #LiftYourVoice. And, starting August 26, American Girl retail stores across the country are hosting free Melody-inspired events geared for girls ages 8 and up that include a free craft, 1960s music, food, and a free gift. More details are available at www.americangirl.com/retail.

*product was received to facilitate a feature, all opinions are my own.