On March 9, 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display at
the American Toy Fair in New York City.
Eleven inches tall, with a waterfall of blond hair, Barbie
was the first mass-produced toy doll in the United States
with adult features. The woman behind Barbie was Ruth
Handler, who co-founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband
in 1945.
Ruth Marianna Handler (November 4, 1916 – April 27, 2002)