Atlanta Black-owned Toy Store to be Featured in Obama Presidential Center

The Brown Toy Box's educational kits will be sold at the new Obama Presidential Center's gift shop.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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The Brown Toy Box, an Atlanta-based Black-owned toy store, is having its educational toy kits featured in the upcoming Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The store's owner, Terri Bradley, says the kits that depict Black and Brown children in STEM roles will be sold in the center's gift shop when it opens in June 2026.

Why it matters

The inclusion of the Brown Toy Box's products in the Obama Presidential Center highlights the importance of representation and diversity in children's toys and educational materials. It provides an opportunity for Black and Brown children to see themselves reflected in the toys they play with, which can positively impact their self-esteem and aspirations.

The details

The Brown Toy Box creates educational toy kits that include books, hands-on projects, and toys that bring learning to life. The Obama Foundation has ordered 96 of these kits, which focus on STEM subjects, to be sold in the center's gift shop. The Obama Presidential Center is a 19-acre campus in Chicago that will be more than just a museum, featuring art, gardens, and gathering spaces.

  • The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open in June 2026.
  • Terri Bradley, the owner of the Brown Toy Box, received a purchase order from the Obama Foundation in 2025.

The players

Brown Toy Box

An Atlanta-based, Black-owned toy store that creates educational toys and kits designed to celebrate diversity and help children see themselves in what they play with.

Terri Bradley

The owner of the Brown Toy Box toy store.

Obama Foundation

The organization behind the development of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

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What they’re saying

“One evening, I was taking a nap, and I woke up, and I had a purchase order. It said Obama Presidential Center. I was like 'What!' I was just over the moon excited.”

— Terri Bradley, Owner, Brown Toy Box (cbsnews.com)

“They ordered STEM kits. That's what we're known for is our Brown Toy Box STEAM kits that include Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.”

— Terri Bradley, Owner, Brown Toy Box (cbsnews.com)

“We're excited that people around the world will be walking through there and will be able to see our kits.”

— Terri Bradley, Owner, Brown Toy Box (cbsnews.com)

“It was really important for me when I started Brown Toy Box, is for Black and Brown children to see themselves represented in play.”

— Terri Bradley, Owner, Brown Toy Box (cbsnews.com)

“We want to be able to plant seeds. We want kids to see something that looks like them and say 'I can go be a marine biologist or a chemist'.”

— Terri Bradley, Owner, Brown Toy Box (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The Obama Presidential Center is still under construction and scheduled to open in June 2026.

The takeaway

The inclusion of the Brown Toy Box's products in the Obama Presidential Center demonstrates the power of representation and diversity in children's toys and educational materials. It provides an opportunity for Black and Brown children to see themselves reflected in the toys they play with, which can positively impact their self-esteem and aspirations.