African-American
Holiday Barbie
Two Hallmark Keepsakes opening a dedicated series for African-American Holiday Barbie — the black gown with glittering accents and signature pink collar for the first-in-series 1998 entry by Patricia Andrews, and Anita Marra Rogers' midnight blue Millennium Princess presiding over the 1999 New Year's Eve ball with a crystal ball in her hands, a sparkling crown, and all the elegance of a century turning.
The African-American Holiday Barbie Series in Context
The Hallmark Holiday Barbie Keepsake series launched in 1993 with a white Barbie ornament and ran annually from that year. The African-American Holiday Barbie series is a dedicated parallel line — launched five years later in 1998 — providing an African-American version of the iconic Holiday Barbie tradition. The 1999 Millennium Princess entry is described as the "African-American version of the 7th in the Holiday Barbies Series," reflecting how the two series ran in relationship to each other. Both series honor Mattel's annual Holiday Barbie dolls — among the most collectible Barbie dolls produced each year.
Black Gown and Midnight Blue — Two Evenings, Two Barbie Fashions
The 1998 African-American Holiday Barbie (QX6936) is the first entry in its dedicated series — Patricia Andrews' Barbie in an elaborate black gown with glittering accents and a regal collar lined with Barbie's signature shade of pink. "Dressed for an evening at the opera or a gala ball" is how the box describes her. Dated 1998, handcrafted, based on the Happy Holidays Barbie doll of that year. The black gown with its pink regal collar is a striking combination — formal and festive simultaneously, the glittering accents catching the tree lights the way any good gown should.
The 1999 Millennium Princess Barbie (QXI6449) is the series' most historically specific entry — Anita Marra Rogers' African-American Barbie arriving at the 1999 New Year's Eve ball at the exact cultural moment of the millennium turn. Midnight blue formal gown, sparkling crown, a crystal ball held in her hands to symbolize the beginning of the new year and the new century. Not dated — it doesn't need to be. The crystal ball and the New Year's Eve setting make 1999 turning 2000 unmistakably specific. "Perhaps even lovelier than the series of Happy Holiday BARBIE dolls that preceded her." 4½" H. Anita Marra Rogers. The century's last Barbie, and the most memorable.
"On behalf of everyone who loves beautiful fashions, BARBIE® presides over the festivities at the gala 1999 New Year's Eve ball. To the delight of the guests and her royal court, African-American BARBIE® makes a grand entrance wearing an elegant formal gown of midnight blue, accented by beautiful jewelry and a sparkling crown. She carries a crystal ball that symbolizes the beginning of the new year and the new century."
— Hallmark product description, 1999 African-American BARBIE as The Millennium Princess · Artist: Anita Marra Rogers · QXI6449 · 4½" H · Not Dated
Gown: Black with glittering accents · pink regal collar
Size: Dated 1998 · Handcrafted
SKU: QX6936
"Dressed for an evening at the opera or a gala ball." The founding entry of the African-American Holiday Barbie series.
Tips for the Collection
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01Display both together as the series' founding pair — they are the complete available African-American Holiday Barbie collection. The 1998 and 1999 entries are the two available African-American Holiday Barbie Keepsakes at Already Christmas. Together they represent the founding pair of a series that began a dedicated tradition: an African-American Barbie dressed in an annually specific fashion, on the Christmas tree, every December. The black gown in 1998 and the midnight blue in 1999 — two consecutive years, two very different silhouettes.
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02The 1999 Millennium Princess is the more historically specific of the two — 1999 turning 2000 is a moment that cannot be recreated. Anita Marra Rogers' Millennium Princess carries a crystal ball in her hands specifically to symbolize the year turning, the century turning, the millennium turning. Not dated — the crystal ball and the New Year's Eve setting make the year unmistakable. This ornament is a time capsule of a very specific cultural moment. Display it as such.
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03Both African-American Holiday Barbie Keepsakes are at Already Christmas. The first-in-series 1998 black gown by Patricia Andrews and the 1999 Millennium Princess by Anita Marra Rogers. The founding pair of the dedicated series. Both here.
Both African-American Holiday Barbie Keepsakes
Patricia Andrews · Anita Marra Rogers. The opera. The millennium ball. Click to shop.
Patricia Andrews in 1998 — black gown with glittering accents, regal collar in signature pink, dressed for the opera or a gala ball, first in a dedicated African-American Holiday Barbie series that the standard Holiday Barbie line had not launched until five years later for its own parallel version. Anita Marra Rogers in 1999 — midnight blue, sparkling crown, crystal ball in hand, presiding over the New Year's Eve ball at the end of a century. Two ornaments. The founding pair. Both here.
✦ Part of our Collection: Barbie & Mattel Hallmark Series, Explored ✦