The official Black Barbie doll was introduced by Mattel in 1980, showcasing distinctly African American features. This marked a departure from earlier Black dolls produced by the company, which were primarily Barbie's friends, such as Francie, who had a colored skin tone, and later Christie, who is considered the first black doll before Black Barbie. The packaging proclaimed, 'She’s Black! She’s beautiful! She’s dynamite!'

In 1991, building on the success of Black Barbie, Mattel designer Kitty Black Perkins created the first exclusive line titled 'Shani and Friends.' This collection featured three characters—Shani, Asha, and Nichelle—each representing a diverse range of skin tones, hair colors, and textures. Over the years, a variety of Black Career Barbies have been released to provide children with more diverse role models. Notable figures included a Pilot in 1989, a Navy Admiral, a Medical Sergeant, and a Firefighter in the 1990s, culminating in the introduction of a President doll in 2004.

A reproduction of the original was released in 2020 to celebrate her 40th anniversary.