The hair on the plastic heads of the American Girl dolls is made of Kanekelon, a synthetic fiber that is widely used for wigs and hairpieces for African-American women. The substance fares best when ...

This essay was originally published in Salon on May 15, 2021. We're revisiting Salon's Best Life Stories of 2021 now through the end of the year. Read more Best of 2021 here. Addy Walker wasn’t my ...

American Girl stores aren't just about selling dolls. Instead, the dolls are part of a stage play that creates an experience for young girls and their mothers (with dads in tow) that is so compelling ...

Addy Walker wasn’t my first Black doll, but she was my last. First, there were my brown Cabbage Patch dolls with black yarn hair, pinched faces and plush bodies that smelled like baby powder. Then ...