2016 marks the 30th anniversary for American Girl. Since 1986, they have been serving the public with dolls and books that are loved and cherished in many a household.

This summer, American Girl will be releasing a brand new doll, 9-year-old Melody Ellison, their third black doll out of twenty in the BeForever historical line. After receiving a load of backlash after removing three minority dolls, out of the four discontinued, this change is welcomed with open arms.

Say farewell to cherished characters—they move into the American Girl Archives this fall: http://t.co/EkZa72Mieb pic.twitter.com/HpLtFvtxHF

— American Girl (@American_Girl) May 20, 2014

“When we learn about the civil rights movement, we learn about a handful of really important people. But the movement was… driven by average, ordinary Americans, like Melody,” states Mark Speltz, the senior historian who assisted in relaying Melody’s story. To guarantee the accuracy of her story, American Girl formed a 6-panel advisory committee that included the likes of the late civil-rights activist and politician, Julian Bond. Melody’s story represents a time that is pivotal to black history. She loves to sing, and as to be expected, she’s a lover of Motown (the first black-owned record company in the United States) music.

Whether your girl loves to read or you’d love to see your girl read more, a book club can help. Not sure where to begin? Check out our 5 tips to help kick off her first reading meeting, link in bio. For an idea of what to read first, try Melody’s courageous story set during the civil-rights movement.

A photo posted by American Girl (@americangirlbrand) on Feb 12, 2016 at 12:41pm PST

She even comes with her own bed and a recording studio that plays her beloved Motown music.

Although Melody has been a long time coming, we can’t deny that this news makes for another much-deserved win for Black History Month. Check out this video featuring Denise Lewis Patrick, author of the 2 Melody Ellison American Girl Doll books below.

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Melody

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