Detroit's American Girl Story Told in Amazon TV Special

(Originally published Oct. 4, 2016) Detroit area fans will get an early look at Melody, the newest historical American Girl BeForever doll, this weekend. And later this month, they'll see her come to life on an Amazon TV special.

The Melody doll, based on a 9-year-old girl living in Detroit in the 1960s, will be on sale Saturday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit and at the temporary American Girl store at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, The Detroit News reported.

Later this month, Amazon unveils its first original, live-action special about the girl. “An American Girl Story — Melody 1963: Love Has to Win,” will be released Oct. 21 on Prime Video, Amazon representatives said in a press release Monday. It is the first of four planned American Girl specials.

Melody’s story draws from former Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson’s childhood. Watson served on American Girl’s advisory board. She told the Detroit Free Press:

I felt very connected to the story line of Melody Ellison and how she was impacted by the ‘60s because I was 9 years old in 1960, was active in the black church (like Melody) and experienced early involvement in the civil rights movement by marching with my grandparents as a 12-year-old in Detroit’s ’63 march to freedom. Like Melody’s character, my family enjoyed big Sunday dinners with grandparents and extended family members, and like Melody, I was captivated by the Motown sound.

In an interview with the black news source Rolling Out, Watson said she contributed to the original story by sharing her memories of her family, the black church, the impact of Motown, and school. She also shared her experience in Detroit’s Walk to Freedom in June ’63 as a 12-year-old with her grandparents. "I love Detroit," she said. "I love its people, heritage and culture. I consciously sought to infuse authenticity in the doll’s “persona” and the narrative that would represent my beloved city."

The TV special stars Marsai Martin of “Blackish” as Melody, a 10-year-old Detroiter who discovers the depths of racial inequality after learning about the 1963 Birmingham Church bombing, Amazon officials said.

The story will be available Oct. 21 for Prime members using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV and mobile devices, or online. Prime members also will be able to download the series on mobile devices for offline viewing.

Photo: American Girl