( CNN ) -- Grace , Kara and Trichelle were created to fill a void for young black girls who for so long have been playing with dolls that do n't look like them . Stacy McBride-Irby , creator of the new Barbie , poses with the dolls . The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips , curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women . Some have cheered the new dolls . Others jeered them , saying they 're not black enough . `` I love the black Barbie . It 's about time , '' Jua Simpson said on CNN 's iReport , a user-generated news community . `` But the hair is still a step backwards , since most of our hair is not straight and light brown . '' Others disagree with critics who say the dolls should have had more natural black hairstyles , such as afros or braids . `` Many people have criticized the dolls for either having hair that 's too long or too straight , but I have long , straight hair that I straightened . But it 's my hair and a part of me , '' said Tanisa Zoe Samuel , an African-American iReporter from the Turks and Caicos , in the Caribbean . `` Black women come in all shades , shapes and varieties that there is just no way to capture everyone with three dolls . '' iReport.com : Samuel shares her thoughts on the new Barbie . The dolls were created by Stacy McBride-Irby , an African-American who watched her daughter play with dolls and wanted to create a doll that looked more like her . McBride-Irby said she has heard the criticism , but she also has received many kudos . `` They mean so much to me because they did come from a positive place , '' McBride-Irby said . `` My daughter loves the dolls . I 've had dads thank me for creating this line of dolls that represent their little girls . These dolls are for girls all over the world . '' This is not the first time Mattel has released an ethnic doll that drew criticism . See photos of the black Barbie dolls » . In 1997 , Mattel collaborated with cookie maker Nabisco to create Oreo Fun Barbie . The black version of the doll , which sported an Oreo-shaped purse , was criticized by some who noted that `` Oreo '' is a derogatory term in the black community . The word is used to describe someone who is perceived as black on the outside and white on the inside . For some , the talk about dolls is not just child 's play . Some think early play with dolls can affect a girl 's self-esteem later in life . Actress Nia Long , who appears in comedian Chris Rock 's new documentary , `` Good Hair , '' recently talked about the issue on CNN . `` Historically , the Afrocentric features have not been celebrated , '' Long said . `` This makes us question the integrity of our beauty standard for ourselves . ''
New black Barbies have fuller lips , curlier hair , more African-American features . Comment: `` I love the black Barbie . It 's about time , '' said CNN iReporter Jua Simpson . iReport.com : Share your thoughts on the new black Barbie .