Introduction
American history has witnessed many female entrepreneurs, but some of them deserve more attention. Annie Turnbo Malone is included among them due to her success as an entrepreneur who reached millionaire status in the cosmetics sphere and launched a company to sell her products. Her story demonstrates that a woman can reach significant success in a competitive industry and make positive contributions to society by providing people with support and assistance.
Biography
To begin with, one should state that the female entrepreneur experienced an eventful and challenging life. Annie was born in 1869 to a family of formerly enslaved people, and her elder sister, Peoria, raised her because their parents died when Annie was only a child. (McNeill, 2019). At that time, hair care products for African American women were rare and harmful because of the chemical solutions used, which made Malone develop her own hair straightener (McNeill, 2019).
In 1902, she moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where she sold her hair care line, while the ideals of racial pride and uplift made the product popular and requested (Baird, 2021). She actively engaged in marketing because she advertised the products in newspapers, attended black churches, and participated in fairs. Her business was very successful, which allowed Annie to reach millionaire status (Nittle, 2019). In 1918, she built Poro College, which was a multi-store building hosting her offices, training facilities, manufacturing space, and public spaces for African Americans (McNeill, 2019). That is why it is impossible to deny that Annie Turnbo Malone was a successful entrepreneur.
Legacy
However, business and financial success were only a part of Malone’s legacy. Firstly, she protected women’s rights, which resulted in her company actively hiring African American females (McNeill, 2019). Thus, Malone owned one of the first organizations that advocated for women’s employment equality. Secondly, Annie Malone is now famous for her charity activities. In particular, the St. Louis Colored YMCA and Howard University Medical School received $25,000 each from the entrepreneur (McNeill, 2019).
Thirdly, she hired Madam C. J. Walker, who would then become one of the wealthiest Americans in the early 20th century (Nittle, 2019). The latter deserves attention because she created her own effective hair-growing tonic and made a fortune by selling it (McNeill, 2019). This information demonstrates that it is possible to state that Annie Malone contributed to the development and success of Madam C. J. Walker. Finally, she sponsored most of the production costs of the St. Louis Colored Orphan’s Home, which was renamed in her honor in 1946 (McNeill, 2019). This discussion reveals that Annie Malone left a prominent mark in American history.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is challenging to overestimate the role of Annie Turnbo Malone in the American history of business. On the one hand, she was a successful entrepreneur and managed to succeed in the cosmetics sphere. She developed a hair care product for African American women and relied on various marketing means to advertise and sell it.
On the other hand, Annie Malone is famous for her social and charitable activities. She actively hired women, donated money to educational establishments, and contributed to the establishment of an orphanage. Furthermore, Madam C. J. Walker became a successful entrepreneur in the same industry thanks to Malone’s assistance. All this information demonstrates that Annie Malone is among the most prominent entrepreneurs in American history.
References
Baird, M. L. (2021). ‘Making Black more beautiful’: Black women and the cosmetics industry in the post-civil rights era. Gender & History, 33(2), 557-574. Web.
McNeill, L. (2019). 8 daring female entrepreneurs from history. Mental Floss. Web.
Nittle, N. (2019). Meet Annie Turnbo Malone, the hair care entrepreneur Trump shouted out in his Black History Month proclamation. Vox. Web.