Annie Turnbo Malone — She Built a National Beauty Empire

Entrepreneur • Inventor • Philanthropist

Annie Turnbo Malone believed that business success should create opportunities for others. While her portrait reminds us of the visionary behind one of America's most successful Black-owned enterprises, Poro College stands as the physical expression of that vision. More than a manufacturing center or beauty school, the building became a place where education, entrepreneurship, and community leadership came together under one roof. During an era when segregation restricted where African Americans could meet, learn, and conduct business, Poro College welcomed entrepreneurs, civic organizations, and future business leaders. Together, these images illustrate Malone's enduring belief that economic success carries a responsibility to strengthen communities, expand opportunity, and invest in future generations.

Overview:

Annie Turnbo Malone (1869 - 1957) was a business leader, inventor, educator, and philanthropist who helped build the African American beauty industry in the early 1900s. Born in Illinois in 1869 to formerly enslaved parents, Malone became interested in hair care while helping style her sisters' hair. She developed products designed to improve scalp health and hair growth at a time when few products existed for Black consumers.

In 1902, she moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and founded the Poro Company. Her business grew into a national success that included beauty products, training programs, and beauty schools. Poro College became a center for education, employment, and community leadership. Malone employed hundreds of people and trained thousands of sales agents. Through her business and charitable work, she created opportunities for African Americans during an era of racial segregation and discrimination.

Quick Facts:

• Born on August 9, 1869, in Metropolis, Illinois

• Daughter of formerly enslaved parents

• Developed hair-care products designed for African American consumers

• Founded the Poro Company in St. Louis in 1902

• Built Poro College, a beauty school and business training center

• Trained thousands of sales agents known as "Poro Agents"

• Became one of the wealthiest African American women of her time

• Supported educational institutions, including Howard University

• Served as president of the St. Louis Colored Orphans Home board

• Died on May 10, 1957, in Chicago, Illinois

Why This Story Matters:

Annie Malone matters because she showed that African American women could achieve success in business despite barriers created by racism and sexism. She built one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States and used her success to help others.

Malone provided jobs, training, and financial independence to thousands of African American women. She also donated large amounts of money to schools, orphanages, community organizations, and colleges. Her work challenged ideas about who could be a successful business leader and demonstrated the power of education, entrepreneurship, and community support. She helped create opportunities that many African Americans were denied during the Jim Crow era.

Legacy:

Annie Malone's influence extends far beyond the beauty industry. She proved that African American women could build large businesses, create jobs, and shape their communities. Her company helped thousands of women earn incomes and gain professional skills at a time when opportunities were limited.

Malone's success also challenged the belief that major business leadership belonged only to white men. Through her philanthropy, she supported education, social services, and community organizations that strengthened Black communities. Today, she is remembered as a pioneering entrepreneur whose work opened doors for future generations of business owners, educators, and community leaders.

Discussion Questions:

1. Poro College was more than a business—it was a school, manufacturing center, and gathering place for the African American community. Why can building institutions sometimes have a greater impact than individual achievements alone? 

2. Annie Malone created jobs and business opportunities for thousands of African American women during Jim Crow segregation. How can access to meaningful work and economic opportunity influence a person's sense of dignity, belonging, and hope for the future? What happens to individuals and communities when those opportunities are unavailable or denied? 

3. If you had Annie Malone's resources, would you choose to build a successful business, open a school, create jobs, support charities, or do something entirely different? What would have the greatest long-term impact on your community, and why? 

Reflection Prompt:

1. Imagine that someone writes a page about your life 100 years from now. Beyond your career or accomplishments, what would you hope people say about the way you treated others and the difference you made in your community? What small step could you take today to begin creating that legacy?  

Sources & Further Reading:

1. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Annie Malone and Madam C.J. Walker: Pioneers of the African American Beauty Industry. Website. 

2. BlackPast.org. Annie Turnbo Malone (1869–1957). Website. 

3. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Price List for Dealers of Poro Products (Wholesale). Document. 

4. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Souvenir Booklet about Poro College Company. Image. 

5. Missouri Historical Society Collections. Annie Malone. Photograph. 1927. 

6. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Souvenir Booklet about Poro College Company. Image 

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