Annie Turnbo Malone understood that for African American women, appearance and grooming represented not only personal style, but could also indicate class and social standing.


 As she realized that improving hair health could positively affect the lives of African Americans, she developed products to help women adapt to a society that judged them based on how they met the American standard of beauty. Malone faced the challenges of being a black woman in a segregated society, as well as a businesswoman in a sexist society. Undeterred, she began experimenting with chemistry and established a successful business after developing a line of products that were advertised to help improve scalp health and promote hair growth, including her famous “Hair Grower.”


In 1902, Malone moved to Missouri where she founded Poro College Company. Named after the Poro Society of West Africa, Poro College acted as a training center to nurture and style black hair and served as a significant source of employment for African Americans, especially women. Poro College also provided a meeting place for African Americans and major black organizations such as the National Negro Business League to meet as a response to being denied access to many public spaces.


During the 1920s, Annie Malone’s Poro brand soared, increasing the value of her company and making her one of the wealthiest African American women. Malone donated large sums of money to philanthropic efforts around the St. Louis area and to black institutions, including Howard University... Continue reading 

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