Meet Princess Tiana, The First African-American Disney Princess!
Thursday February 19, 2009
At Toy Fair this week I was able to see the first Tiana dolls! Princess Tiana is the star of The Princess and the Frog, which is a full-length animated Disney motion picture coming to theaters in Fall, 2009. Tiana is the very first African-American Disney Princess, and the first new princess of any kind since Mulan in 1998 (that is eleven princess-less years!). There are many Tiana dolls and plush planned, of course. The Princess Tiana doll pictured, left, is made by Mattel. She comes with a frog that will ask for a kiss and a skirt that has firefly lights which will light up in her gown. She will be available in July, with a suggested retail of $24.99.!Photo © 2009 Denise Van Patten. Licensed to About.com.
Comments
We have supported Disney for years and have taught our daughters to embrace diversity, so it is nice to finally see dolls that look like they do. We will be first in line to buy!
Im 13 years old and my name is actually “Tiana” and when I found out that Disney was coming out w/ a doll and a movie w/ my name and also like me (african american), it felt special because there isn’t a lot african american dolls and there isn’t a lot of characters named Tiana
My name is Tiana, and when I was younger that name was VERY uncommon. I’m truly happy to finally see a african american doll look pretty, usually they are made so dark! I was so shocked to see that her name is Tiana, I showed my daughther(she’s 10) she was so thrilled b/c of her also having part of my name. Thanks Disney
OMG im soo hype i was breathless when my mom told me that disney had its first black princess and her name is tiana and its spelt just like mine most people spell it teyonna,or teanah crazy but im very happy b/c she kinda looks like me shout out to all TIANA’S(only if its spelt like tiana)hope she does well and pleeez go chek it out in theaters by the way when is it coming out
I am so happy that we have an African-American Princess I can’t wait unti she become available to purchase. I hope that she will have other products also like comforter sets and all kinds of things. I can’t wait to get her for my grand-daughter and niece. THANK YOU DISNEY
Pretty! I cannot wait to see The Princess & the Frog–I’ve definitely been wanting to see an AA Disney Princess for years!
‘Course she isn’t the first Princess in 11 years. Giselle of Enchanted is a Disney Princess, too.
I glad to know about Tiana – I didn’t know that any African Princess would be coming out next year or maybe the years after that. – Elizabeth, Age 5.5 years.
We googled “Disney Princess, Africa” to see if there were any plans to introduce an African Princess in Disney’s line of Beautiful Princesses. Such Joy and Excitement to see that there will be Tiana coming out soon.
We are American Expats and have lived in Melbourne, Australia, Doha, and now in Jakarta and have been to DisneyLand Paris and DisneyLand Hong Kong. Tiana will add to our “International Experience” and provide wonderful diversity to the Disney Princess Line. Way to Go. Thanks for the Info on this Blog. Mary Lee, Elizabeth’s Mom.
After spending her 9th birthday at Disneyworld this year, my daughter (who claims that she is now too old to play with dolls) has made a special request for Tiana. Way to go Disney!
I wouldn’t buy this doll because we have waited so long and Disney didn’t want to give us a princess and now they want to because they want our $money$. Before whnen African Americans ask for a princess they said they gave us lion king. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS AND I HOPE YOU ALL DO THE SAME.
looks like the movie will be adorable! needless to say, i am very excited to see a princess bearing my name. it’s unfortunate, however, that the name’s new exposure must contend with the same deep-seated resentment of popular media i’ve had to endure talk of for 30 years. my people..her color is of absolutely no relevance. this two-dimensional girl should pose no threat of lasting detriment to anyone. it seems to me that people could find more to do than fume and dwell on the subject of a cartoon character’s race. if i find i’m dissatisfied with what’s been GIVEN TO US(?), I should put something out into the world that adds to my contentment. disney doesn’t just now want our money. rest assured, they’ve ALWAYS wanted it. and if we’re being honest, it would be horribly inaccurate to say we haven’t given them some of it. it also must be said that short of polling each decision-making individual within a corporation, it is highly improbable that one can say what that corporation has or has not WANTED to give.
I am so happy for this! We are naming my new baby cousin after her once she is born! I’m glad she doesnt look like one of those too dark to see the face ugly dolls. Kudos Disney.
I am so happy with this product. I cannot wait for this product to be available, not only will it be a collector’s item, but this will be a treasure for my daughter, her name is Tiana and I would like to have something for her to look upon and see that we can also be a Princess in every way possible. Thank you so much.
Tiana and Mykimoto, your comments break my heart- “happy to finally see a african american doll look pretty, usually they are made so dark” and “glad she doesn’t look like one of those too dark to see the face ugly dolls”???!!! Obviously the racism in this society has affected your perception of your own people. Maybe if Disney came out with this character thirty years ago we’d be a little further along. Sad that my dark skinned daughter not only has to deal with discrimination by white Americans, but by her own sisters as well.
I am so excited to get the first black princess doll that has the same name as me. It is also very special because I live in Louisiana and the movie is set in New Orleans. We have been searching every since we heard the news of the new doll. Thanks Disney!!!!
The change is here and now , I am happy that disney has finally made a doll that is not just a friend of barbie but has her own place in time even if it is make belive. We ( african american females) come all shapes sizes and colors. So
Yay cool, but I heard it was gunna be called Maddie!
It is wonderful to see my daugther’s name represented as a special african-american icon.I knew the day I named her “Tiana” she was going to shine in the spot light.I’m happy she blossomed into a beautiful princess.
Thanks Disney.
My name is also tiana im 14 years old from north carolina its rare 2 find ppl wit da same name as mine nw there’s even a movie wit a african american princess named tiana..wit me bein an african american i feel very honored its lik havin a movie named after me
WOW!!!!!For years we struggled as to what to do our “princess’ room in and what to buy her when all her friends were getting disney princess stuff & we didnt embrace disney @ the time because i felt as though they gave a.a. girls the false impression of what a “princess” is and looks like.Now i am relieved but at he same time still boggled. young children dont understand the concept that a princess is from within!!!! and to me im not sure disney did either…but it was an A for effort.
Wow
Disney has a Princess name Tiana.thats Awesome because my daughter’s name is “Tiana”and. in my Language it means Princess.Yupp i’ll be buying more then just one.
I am so excited to hear about the release of the new African American Princess doll named ” TIANA “. My granddaughter’s name is Tiana Larnae Leach she is two years old and was born on 6-23-07. I heard about the doll on the news a few months ago. I was so impressed when I saw that the doll’s name was spelled exactly like my granddaughter’s name. I plan to buy a doll for my granddaughter whenever they become available.
I am excited about the first African American Princess Doll. I purchase the Black Hoilday Barbie every christmas for my daughter. This doll will added to Dakayla’s collection.
I think that tiana is a very pretty name and also a very pretty doll, i haven’t had a chance to watch the movie yet, but my daughter loves princess and we watch disney princess’s all the time, look forward to seeing more disney princess dolls online
YAY 4 PRINCESS TIANA!!!!!!!….i’ve always thougt that having your name be an actual disney princesses name was really cool. two of my friends are name after princesses and whenIi found out that there is going to be a new princess named Tiana I was very exited!
How COOLY! my name is Tianna too, just like the new african american princess!I am 14 years old and i was sooo happy, excited and shocked to find out that my name would be a disney character someday. even though my name is spelled with two n’s, i am still grateful to have such a name. I remember the day when i asked my mom what did my name mean and she told me it means prinncess. who would have thought that the name would become a famous disney character. Princess Tiana is so beautiful and she likes to where the dress that is my favorite colors: GREEN and blue
I cant wait to see the movie the princess and the frog when it comes out this November, and i hope to buy it. Now other little african american girls can have a disney princess they can look up to and have as thier lil’ romodel… thanks lots Disney for being so thoughtful…AND CREATIVE! 
- Princess Tianna
My favorite nieces’ name is Tiana. I’m so excited about the Disney Princess Tiana, I want to buy her the doll, the journal, the sheets and comforter, etc, etc. My niece Tiana loves dolls, see is twelve and see still collects them, she will be so please to have such a precious doll with her name sake. Thank you Disney.
Auntie Phyllis