Shani and Friends Soul Train Dolls

Name: Soul Train Shani, Asha, Jamal, and Nichelle

Made by and When: Mattel, 1993

Material: Vinyl

Height: 11-1/2 inches (Shani, Asha, and Nichelle) and 12 inches (Jamal)

Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Shani and Nichelle have rooted long black hair; Asha has auburn rooted hair. Jamal has sculpted black hair/painted brown eyes/smiling mouths with painted appearance of teeth.

Clothes: Dressed in colorful costumes that include Kente cloth print

Other: Designed by former Chief Designer of Fashions and Concepts for Mattel, Kitty Black Perkins, the Shani series of dolls was released in a variety of fashions. The Shani line was Mattel’s first independent Black fashion dolls. Another Mattel first for this line is their complexions vary. Shani has a medium complexion; Asha has a light complexion; and Nichelle has a dark complexion. Jamal is Shani’s boyfriend. This version of Jamal has a clean-shaven face.

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Published by DeeBeeGee

Doll collector, historian, co-founder of the first e-zine devoted to collecting black dolls; author of black-doll reference books, doll blogs, and doll magazine articles.

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