The story of "Addy," American Girl's first African American doll, has a Philadelphia connection
2026 marks not only 250 years of America, but also 40 years of the beloved toy company, American Girl. With that, we're exploring the connection between one of the original American Girl dolls and the city of Philadelphia.
Addy Walker, the company's first African American doll, was based on the story of a young girl escaping slavery in 1864 and finding freedom in Philadelphia.
It all started in 1986 when the American Girl company hit the scene, bringing together play, history, and literacy. Soon after the first three dolls (Samantha, Molly, and Kirsten) were introduced, Addy Walker joined the collection in 1993.
Author Connie Porter said the company asked her to write the Addy series, a collection of six books about a nine-year-old enslaved girl during the Civil War living on a plantation in North Carolina.
Porter said Philadelphia was chosen as Addy's destination for freedom because of its proximity and rich history.
"In terms of the Underground Railroad, it (Philadelphia) was a city that did see an influx of many formerly enslaved people come to and make a community there," she said.
Porter said she spent countless hours in the early 1990s researching what Philadelphia was like in the 1860s. Addy's church was based on Philly's Mother Bethel AME Church. Porter and a team of advisors developed storylines that were historically accurate but still appropriate for the target audience: nine-year-old girls.
"They don't approach history the way a lot of adults do, you know, worried about, am I going to say the wrong thing? Is this going to be offensive to someone else? They just wanted to know the truth," Porter told CBS News Philadelphia.
Philadelphia native Lauren Holifield said she received the doll when she was in the fourth grade.
"It was the Christmas of 1994," she said. "During that time, this was the quintessential Christmas gift. This was the first American Girl that looked like me."
Holifield still has her Addy doll today, and her own daughters play with it. She remembers the themes of the books.
"Being able to read about the uplifting side of how she overcame so many obstacles, how her family was able to push through, what Philadelphia was as a place for new opportunities and freedom," she said.
Porter said she still hears from people all over the country about their love for Addy and her story.
"I think what people saw in Addy was that ancestor that they never knew," she said.
Because it's the 40th anniversary year of American Girl, you can purchase the original dolls, including Addy. It comes with one of the books and will cost you $175.
