Meet Melody Ellison – American Girl’s New BeForever Character

American Girl is excited to announce the official debut of its newest BeForever character, Melody Ellison, In her stories, Melody, a 9-year old growing up in Detroit, Michigan, during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, lifts her voice for equality and helps bring this significant time in America’s history to life for girls today.

Fairness and equality for all people sound like music to my ears. More than ever, I need to lend my support at home, at church, and around my neighborhood. It’ll take courage, but adding my voice to others can really make a difference.

Ensuring the historical accuracy and cultural authenticity of Melody’s story and product collection was imperative, so American Girl worked for over two years with an esteemed six-member advisory board who reviewed and provided input on all aspects of Melody’s development—from the doll, books, outfits, accessories, issues, and story setting. The Melody advisory board members included:

”    The late Horace Julian Bond, chairman emeritus, NAACP Board of Directors and founding member of Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
”    Gloria House, director and professor emerita, African and African American Studies, University of Michigan-Dearborn
”    Juanita Moore , President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit and founding executive director of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis
”    Rebecca de Schweinitz, associate professor of history, Brigham Young University, Utah, and author of If We Could Change the World: Young People and America’s Long Struggle for Racial Equality
”    Thomas J. Sugrue, professor of history at New York University and author of Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North
”    JoAnn Watson, native of Detroit, ordained minister, and former executive director of the Detroit NAACP

To coincide with Melody’s debut, American Girl is launching the Lift Your Voice with Melody campaign. Starting August 20, fans can watch the Lift Your Voice with Melody video at www.americangirl.com/liftyourvoice and then share their own inspiring videos and photos on how they make a difference, using #LiftYourVoice

You can learn more about Melody at www.americangirl.com/Melody..