We Celebrate Some Of The African Americans That Paved The Way For Us. Shea'Von Beauty will always be grateful for those that took a chance and opened the door for many other African American men and women to walk through in the beauty industry.
Here is 5 unforgettable people that you should know about:
1) Madam C.J. Walker
Who is Madam C.J. Walker?
Madame C.J. Walker (1867-1919) was an African-American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is considered to be the first female self-made millionaire in America and was the wealthiest African-American woman of the early 20th Century. She started out as a laundress and hairdresser, but developed a line of beauty and hair products for black women and eventually built her own company. Her most famous product was her shampoo and conditioning oil, which was designed to address the unique needs of African-American hair. Her business was so successful that she was able to donate generously to civil rights causes. She was a major supporter of the NAACP and often spoke out against racial discrimination and injustice.
2) John H. Johnson
Who is John H. Johnson?
John H. Johnson was an African-American entrepreneur and publisher who founded the popular African-American news magazine, Jet Magazine, in 1951. He was also the founder of the Johnson Publishing Company, which was a publishing company aimed at catering to the African-American community and had other publications such as Ebony, Negro Digest and Black World. He also owned Fashion Fair Cosmetics, one of the largest black-owned cosmetics company in the world at the time. Fashion Fair was created with the goal of creating makeup that catered to women of color, and they went on to manufacture amazing fragrance, skin care, and hair care products. Johnson was a pioneer of the civil rights movement, and his magazines helped to chronicle the struggles and successes of African-Americans during the 1950s and 1960s. He is remembered as a key figure in the African-American press, beauty industry and was a driving force in the advancement of African-American culture and politics.
3) Lyda Newman
Who is Lyda Newman?
Lyda Newman was an African-American inventor and civil rights advocate who was born in 1885. She was the first woman to patent a hairbrush and is credited with inventing the improved version of the rat-tail comb. She was also a leader in the civil rights movement, advocating for the rights of African-Americans to vote, receive equal education, and access to public places. She was a member of the National Association of Colored Women and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Her legacy continues to live on today, inspiring others to use their creativity and ingenuity to achieve great things.
4)Theora Stephens
Who is Theora Stephans?
Theora Stephans is an African American hairstylist who added black girl magic to curling irons by holding a patent that would allow users to control heat of the curling iron and include a spring clasp that would make the process easier to curl hair. She also has a patent for flat irons.
5) Annie Turnbo Malone
Who is Annie Turnbo?
Annie Turnbo Malone was an African-American entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was born in 1869 in Metropolis, Illinois and was the first African-American female millionaire. She was an innovator in the field of beauty and hair care products, owning several businesses and factories, and was also a generous philanthropist. Her companies employed hundreds of African-American women, and she was a leader in the advancement of black women in the business world. She was also known for her philanthropy, donating to numerous charities, schools, and organizations. Her legacy lives on in the Annie Turnbo Malone Scholarship Fund, which continues to support African-American students to this day.
We give honor to these trailblazers for paving the way. These people jumped over hurdles and broke down doors in the beauty industry in times where you didn't see many people of color. It's so many African American people who don't get highlighted for what they did so this is our way of shedding light to some of them.Till this day it's still so much to do when it comes to placing more black faces in this industry that has made a fortune off of us while we have the lowest percentage of ownership in this beauty industry.
To all Trailblazers! Thank you so much for all that you have done! To future leaders, keep going...You got this! The things you do now pave the way for the next generation. Live, Grow and Enlighten!