Our Story | American Girl (2024)

Bringing out the joy of girlhood is at the heart of everything we do. Through adventurous stories and imaginative play, we give girls the chance to discover who they are—and who they’re meant to be.

No matter if she’s a toddler or entering her teen years, every girl can find inspiration to be her best, to grow a strong mind and spirit, to laugh while she learns to be resilient, confident, and kind. Most of all, we hope to open girls’ eyes to a bigger world so they can create a brighter future for us all.

When Pleasant founded American Girl in 1986, she believed that great stories with aspirational characters could inspire girls to make their own positive mark on the world—and she was right. Since then, we’ve been a trusted partner in empowering girls with confidence andcharacter.

After an inspirational trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Pleasant combined her love of American history and her commitment to high-quality educational products to create our first-ever product line, The American Girls Collection. From there, she developed even more books, dolls, and toys that integrate learning and play experiences to emphasize important values. She also fulfilled her long-time dream of opening experiential retail stores, the first of which debuted in Chicago in 1998, where fans could see and shop the product in person and fully immerse themselves in the world of AmericanGirl.

As American Girl grew in popularity, major toy companies took notice, and Mattel acquired the brand in 1998. Today, guided by Pleasant’s original vision, we’ve grown into one of the nation’s most beloved brands. Through powerful stories of courageous heroines, we’ve helped shape an entire generation of women of character—a brand truth we are immensely proud of and a testament to the spirit and ingenuity of our remarkable founder, PleasantT.Rowland.

1986

Our flagship historical characters launch, featuring 18-inch dolls with wide worlds of play for girls ages 8 and up. Each character is highlighted in a book series that explores her era and offers a dramatic understanding of the role women and girls played in shaping ourcountry.

1995

A contemporary 18-inch doll world that has since evolved into Truly Me® debuts. These dolls encourage a girl to express, explore, and discover who she is right now—and to find the confidence to be her trueself.

1995

The world of Bitty Baby®, a 15-inch baby doll, arrives to help teach younger girls important life skills like caring andnurturing.

1995

Contemporary books, highlighted by expert advice and hands-on activities, join the American Girl library of historical fiction to expand the range of topics and entertainment forgirls.

1998

The first American Girl store opens in Chicago, bringing to life all the characters and experiences girls love in an award-winning retail environment. In subsequent years, our stores spread across the country, giving girls nationwide the chance to enjoy dining, celebrations, salon treatments, and hands-on activities like nowhereelse.

2001

Girl of the Year™ joins the American Girl world as 18-inch contemporary character dolls who experience modern-day issues and give voice to a diverse range of personalities andbackgrounds.

2016

The WellieWishers™ blossom to life with a world of 14.5-inch character dolls, early chapter books, and accessories for girls ages 4-7 that teach how to build lastingfriendships.

2017

The ultimate experience in personalization arrives with Create Your Own, enabling girls to design the doll and apparel they’ve always dreamed of.

2024

Addy, Kirsten, and Josefina return with special-edition birthday outfits and classic books, first published in 1993, 1986, and 1997. The re-released books feature updates to language and imagery, and include additional resources that help readers understand each era better.