A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Mattel has released a new Barbie doll in their “Inspiring Women” series, honoring Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. The Wilma Mankiller Barbie is now available for purchase. Mankiller, who led the Cherokee Nation from 1985 to 1995, significantly reformed its tribal government.
Her tenure saw notable improvements in health care and housing, a reduction in infant mortality, increased access to clean water, and a substantial growth in the Cherokee Nation’s population from 68,000 to 170,000. In recognition of her impactful contributions, Mankiller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998.
“Wilma Mankiller has shown countless young women to be fearless and speak up for Indigenous and human rights. She not only served in a role dominated by men during a time when tribal nations were suppressed, but she led,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.
“She truly exemplifies leadership, culture and equality, and we applaud Mattel for commemorating her in the Barbie Inspiring Women Series.”
According to a news release, Barbie is also donating $25,000 to The American Indian Resources Center in conjunction with the doll’s introduction. The donation is intended to fund programs that empower Indigenous women and girls and promote preservation.
Wilma Mankiller, born on November 18, 1945, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was one of eleven children of Charley Mankiller and Clara Irene Sitton, as noted by the National Women’s History Museum. At the age of 11, Mankiller’s family relocated to San Francisco as part of a federal program designed to shift Native Americans from federally subsidized lands to urban areas with greater employment prospects. Reflecting on this experience in a 1993 New York Times interview, Mankiller poignantly referred to the relocation as “my own little Trail of Tears.”
During her time in California, Mankiller’s journey into social activism began. She became actively involved in the 1969 Occupation of Alcatraz, a significant 19-month protest in which 89 Native Americans and their supporters took over Alcatraz Island to highlight indigenous rights and issues.
Mankiller left Oklahoma in 1976 to work for the Cherokee Nation as an economic stimulus coordinator. By the early 1980s, she was in charge of the Cherokee Nation’s recently established Community Development Department.
She received an invitation to run as his deputy in the 1983 tribal elections from then-Principal Chief Ross Swimmer. She was the first elected female deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation after they prevailed. Mankiller was promoted to senior chief and Swimmer accepted a job in the federal administration of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1985.
Following her departure from politics in 1995, Wilma Mankiller returned to her roots in activism, focusing on enhancing the representation of Native Americans and their heritage. She did this through authoring books, delivering lectures, and engaging in various other activities.
Mankiller passed away in April 2010 due to pancreatic cancer. Her remarkable contributions were recognized through numerous awards at local, state, and national levels, including the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 2022, the U.S. Mint issued a quarter bearing Mankiller’s image as part of its circulation. The design of the coin depicts Mankiller enveloped in a shawl with the wind flowing behind her. Alongside her is the seven-pointed star from the Cherokee Nation seal. Each coin features her name and title, as well as the words “Cherokee Nation” in the Cherokee syllabary.
According to the press release, Barbie’s Inspiring Women Series pays “tribute to incredible heroines of their time.” The show featured Celia Cruz, Anna May Wong, Bessie Coleman, and Wilma Mankiller this year.
Barbie collaborated closely with the Cherokee Nation and the estate of Wilma Mankiller to create a doll that accurately captures her essence and likeness. The iconic picture of Wilma, taken by her husband Charlie Soap in 2005, served as the model for the doll’s appearance, down to the woven basket she is holding.
North, South, East, and West are represented by the ribbon striping on the doll’s vividly saturated turquoise frock.
The series honored Dr. Maya Angelou, Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Billie Jean King, Ella Fitzgerald, Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Katherine Johnson, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, and Sally Ride in addition to Ida B. Wells, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Madam C.J. Walker last year.
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