"Annie Malone Turbo"(August9,1869-May 10,1957)

Porolo College

Was an American businesswoman, inventor,and philanthropist.In the first three

decades of the 20th century,she found and developed a large and prominent and educational enterprise centered on cosmetics for African American women.She was born in southern Illinois,the daughter of escaped slaves Robert & Isabella (Cook) Tumbo.While her daddy went off to fight for the Union troops in the Civil War,her mama had taken their children and escaped to Kentucky,a neutral border state that maintained slavery.After traveling down the Ohio River,she found refuge in Metropolis Illinois.There Annie was born the 10th off 11 children.Annie was born on a farm in Metropolis,where she lived with her siblings until their parents died.Orphaned at a young age,she attended a public school in Metropolis before moving to Peoria to with an older sister.In Peoria,Annie attended high school.She took a great interest in chemistry;due to frequent illness,she was forced to withdraw from classes.While out of school,she grew so fascinated with hair and and hair care that she often practiced hairdressing with her sister.Through her interest in chemistry and hair care,Annie Annie began to develop her own hair care products.At the time,many women used goose fat,heavy oils,soap or other harsh products,to straighten their curls,which damaged both scalp and hair.By the beginning 0f the 1900s,Annie moved with older siblings to Lovejoy,now known as Brooklyn,Illinois.While experimenting with hair and different hair care products,she developed and manufactured her own line of non-damaging straighteners,special oils,and hair-stimulant products for African American women.She named her new product "Wonderful Hair Grower."To promote her new product,Annie sold the Wonderful Hair Grower in bottles from door-to-door.She began to revolutionize hair care methods for all African Americans.In 1902 Anna moved to a thriving St.Louis,where she and three assistants sold her hair care products from door-to-door.As part of her marketing,she gave away free treatment to attract more customers.In 1903 she briefly married a Mr.Pope but soon divorced him when he tried to interfere in her growing business.Due to high demand for her product in St.Louis,she opened her first shop on 2223 Market Street.Annie launched a wide advertising campaign in the African American press,held news, conferences,toured toured many southern states,and recruited many women whom she trained to sell her products.One of her selling agents Sarah Breedlove (who became known as Madam C.J.Walker when set up her on business),encouraged Annie to copyright her products under the name "Poro"because of what she called fraudulent imitations and to discourage counterfeit versions.Poro is a West Africa word meaning physical & spiritual growth.Due to the growth in her business,in 1910 Annie moved to a larger facility on 3100 Pine Street.On April 28,1914,Annie married Aaron Eugene Malone,a former teacher and bible salesman.Annie by then worth well over a million dollars,built a five-story multipurpose facility.In addition to a manufacturing plant,it contained facilities for a beauty college,which she named Poro College.The building included a manufacturing plant,a retail store where Poro products were sold,business offices,a 500-seat auditorium,dining and meeting rooms,a roof garden,dormitory,gymnasium,bakery, and a chapel.It served the African American community as a center for religious and social functions.The College's curriculum addressed the whole student;students were coached on personal style for work:on walking,talking,and a style of dress designed to maintain a solid persona.Poro College employed nearly 200 people in St.Louis.Through its school and franchise businesses,the college created jobs for almost 75,000 women in North & South America,Africa and the Philippines.By the 1920s,Annie had become a multi-millionaire.In 1924 she paid income tax of nearly $40,000,reportedly the hightest in Missouri.While extremely wealthy,she lived modestly,giving thousands of dollars to the local African YMCA and the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington DC.She also donated money to the St.Louis Colored Orphans Home,where she served as president on the board of directors from 1919-1943.With her help,it bought a facility at 2612 Goode Avenue (which was renamed Annie Malone Drive in honor).The Orphans Home is still located in he historic Ville neighborhood.Upgraded and expanded,the facility was renamed in the entrepreneur's honor as the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center.As well as funding many programs,Annie ensured that her employees,mostly African Americans,were paid well and given opportunities for advancement.Her business thrive until 1927,when her husband filled for divorce.Having served as president of the company,he demanded half of the business' value,based on his claim that his contributions had been integral to its success.The divorce suit forced Poro College into a court-ordered receivership.With support from her employees and powerful figures such as Mary McLeod Bethune,Annie negotiated a settlement of $200,000.This affirmed her as sole owner of Poro College,and the divorce was granted.After the divorce,she moved most of business to Chicago South Parkway,where she bought an entire city block.Other lawsuits followed.In 1937,during the Great Depression a former employee filled suit,also claiming credit for Poro's success.To raise money for the settlement,Annie sold her St.Louis property.Although much reduced in size,her business continued to thrive.Annie suffered a stroke and died at Chicago's Provident Hospital.Childless,she had bequeathed her business and remaining fortune to her nieces & nephews.At the time of her death,her estate was valued at $100,000 due to her many loses.