Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller Barbie, Mattel, Inc

In 2018, Mattel created the Barbie Inspiring Women Series. They add notable women to the collection each year. For Native American Heritage month in November 2023, Mattel released the Wilma Mankiller Barbie. Mankiller was the first woman to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. The doll received mixed reviews: Mattel was praised for honoring an influential Indian woman but criticized for not consulting Mankiller’s family or accurately portraying her skin tone or Cherokee culture.