Historical Characters Overview

Stories from the past, inspiration for the present

Every American Girl historical character brings to life an important era through her adventures. From finding freedom to overcoming loss, from stopping prejudice to starting over, there’s a story that can help lead girls today toward a brighter tomorrow.

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Meet the characters

Courtney Moore™

Even though she’s the best gamer in the arcade, Courtney must power up to face the challenges of real life.
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Julie Albright™

So that everyone can enjoy equality, Julie stands up for girls’ rights to make a difference.
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Melody Ellison™

As the civil rights movement gains momentum, Melody lifts her voice in the fight for freedom and fairness.
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Maryellen Larkin™

In an era when conformity rules, Maryellen stays true to herself and isn’t afraid to stand out.
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Nanea Mitchell™

After surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, Nanea overcomes her fears with the aloha spirit as her guide.
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Kit Kittredge™

In the midst of the Great Depression, Kit must weather hard times with grit and gratitude.
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Rebecca Rubin™

Despite the traditions Rebecca’s family wants her to follow, she still steps onto the stage and lets her heart take the lead.
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Samantha Parkington™

Even when others look down on the needy and poor, Samantha treats everyone with dignity and kindness.
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Addy Walker™

After escaping a life of slavery, Addy strives to keep love alive while taking on hate and fear.
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Josefina Montoya™

On her family’s New Mexican ranch, Josefina faces heartache but seeks to carry on with the help of faith and family.
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Felicity Merriman™

As the Revolutionary War looms, Felicity strives to be an independent thinker and a loyal friend.
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Kaya™

As a member of the Nez Perce tribe, Kaya learns to respect and protect the earth because all people are connected.
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Making history a reality

Extensive research

Only after years of development do we share our characters and their stories. Advisory boards, location visits, and even our own in-house historian help shape who each character becomes.
Award-winning authors

Once we've blended culture, setting, and era into a fully realized character, we enlist writers who’ve been honored with some of the highest accolades in children’s literature to tell our stories.
Exacting details

To ensure every aspect of our characters' product worlds is accurate, our design teams comb through historical references—like newspapers and catalogues—and model items on original pieces when possible.

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Stories from the past, inspiration for the present

Meet the characters

Courtney Moore™

Julie Albright™

Melody Ellison™

Maryellen Larkin™

Nanea Mitchell™

Kit Kittredge™

Rebecca Rubin™

Samantha Parkington™

Addy Walker™

Josefina Montoya™

Felicity Merriman™

Kaya™

Making history a reality

Extensive research

Award-winning authors

Exacting details