What do Barbie, the Teddy Bear and G.I. Joe have in common? Their stories are connected to Jewish entrepreneurs who helped shape the American toy industry!

Join New York author Michael Kimmel as he explores the fascinating history behind these iconic toys and the immigrant ingenuity, creativity and ambition that helped shape generations of childhood and popular culture.

Free admission! Reserve your seats online.

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New York’s Michael Kimmel explores the fascinating story of Jewish entrepreneurs who helped shape the American toy industry, from the invention of the Teddy Bear to iconic brands and beloved characters such as Barbie and G.I. Joe. In Playmakers, Kimmel reveals how immigrant ingenuity, creativity, and ambition helped shape generations of childhood and popular culture.

The great–grandnephew of the founder of the Ideal Toy Corporation, Kimmel is a SUNY distinguished professor emeritus of sociology and gender studies and founder of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University. He is the author of many books, including Angry White Men, Guyland, Healing from Hate, and Manhood in America. His official TED talk has been viewed more than three million times. Kimmel lives in Brooklyn, NY.