After #1 New York Times best-selling author Brit Bennett tweeted about her love and admiration for the American Girl (a doll company founded in 1986) franchise and how she would like to write an American Girl book, she was surprisingly contacted by Jodi Goldberg, American Girl’s senior director of content development. Brit’s tweet has granted her the opportunity of her dreams to create a new historical character and write her first children’s story book for American Girl.

Brit Bennett has collaborated with American Girl to write a story about American Girl’s new historic character Claudie Wells, a 9-year-old Black girl growing up during the booming Black creative artistic cultural growth of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. Amidst all of the talented Black singers, writers, musicians, and painters, Claudie Wells seeks to discover her own talent. More could be read about Claudie Wells experience growing up during the Harlem Renaissance in the book “Meet Claudie” written by Brit Bennett.

Brit has been a fan of American Girl since her childhood. “Before I ever sat in front of a computer to type, I had already started telling stories each time I played with my dolls. My sister and I were in love with our American Girl dolls and books, especially Addy. While the doll itself was beautiful, what enchanted me was Addy’s courageous story written by the trailblazing author Connie Porter, so creating a new historical character for American Girl has been a dream come true. As a girl, I always loved studying the Harlem Renaissance, an outpouring of Black artistry that emerged alongside larger struggles for equal rights. Readers will enjoy exploring this fascinating era through Claudie’s eyes.”

American Girl proudly donated $100,000 along with Claudie dolls and books to help encourage today’s youth to become creative and artistic thinkers.