Toymaker Mattel has made a special collectible Barbie to mark the centennial of the oldest black sorority in the United States.

ADVERTISEMENT

Alpha Kappa Alpha Barbie is to be dressed in an evening gown, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Her outfit will include pink and green, the sorority's colors.

The sorority, headquartered in Chicago, was founded on Jan. 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington. Four of the seven black Miss Americas have been members.

The Barbie is Mattel's first tied to a sorority and also to a black group, the newspaper said. Elizabeth Grampp, head of Barbie collector marketing, said the company decided to submit a bid when it learned of the centennial.

Alpha Kappa Alpha begins its celebrations Saturday. The doll design is to be unveiled next week.

The doll will be available through the Barbie Collector catalog and through the sorority at a price of about $50.