2223 Market Street

Annie Minerva Turnbo Malone was born in Metropolis, Illinois, in 1869 or 1877 (historical records vary), into a post–Civil War America still reeling from the collapse of slavery. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her older sister in Peoria, Illinois, where she first began experimenting with chemistry and hair care, inspired in part by her own struggles with scalp conditions and the damaging effects of commonly used products, many of which were made from lye and animal by-products. At a time when Black women had limited access to products made for their unique hair textures, Malone saw both a need and an opportunity.

Using her knowledge of chemistry, she began formulating her own hair-care solutions in her home in **Brooklyn, Illinois, a small Black town just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Her products were gentler and healthier than the harsh concoctions commonly used at the time. She began to quietly build a following in the Black community, and her reputation spread by word of mouth.

When Malone heard that St. Louis would host the 1904 World’s Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition), she recognized the potential to bring her products to a much larger audience. She moved to St. Louis in 1902 to prepare for the event, but when the fair was delayed, she instead took to the road, traveling through the segregated South, going door-to-door selling her products. This was not an easy task for a Black woman in the Jim Crow era, but Malone’s persistence paid off. She developed a hands-on approach to marketing and built a personal connection with her customers—something that would later define her business model.

Returning to St. Louis, she focused her energy on growing her business, using local Black newspapers to advertise and promote her products. She sold door-to-door, demonstrated her techniques at public events, and recruited a network of sales agents—mostly Black women—who earned commission and financial independence through selling her products.

In 1918, Malone founded Poro College, a groundbreaking institution located at **Morgan Street and St. Ferdinand Avenue**, which served as the headquarters of her company and so much more. Named after a West African word meaning "physical and spiritual purity," Poro College was the first educational institution in the U.S. dedicated to teaching Black women the business of beauty culture. It housed a beauty school, dormitories, a factory, chapel, auditorium, retail store, cafeteria, and offices. The college trained thousands of women not only in haircare but also in deportment, business practices, self-respect, and financial literacy. It was a hub of Black economic empowerment in the early 20th century.

Malone’s business empire grew rapidly, and by 1924, national Black newspapers reported that she had become the first Black female millionaire, with a net worth estimated at $14 million, a staggering amount at the time. Her success was not just personal. She used her wealth to give back generously to the Black community, becoming one of the country’s most important philanthropists. She donated large sums to Howard University, the St. Louis Colored Orphans Home (later renamed the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center, still in operation today), the YWCA, and numerous other causes. She also gave quietly, often assisting families in need with food, shelter, or tuition.

Despite her success, Annie Malone’s life was not without hardship. Legal battles, a high-profile divorce, and changes in the business climate in the 1930s led to financial setbacks, and she never regained the wealth she had at her peak. Yet her impact endured—in every graduate of Poro College, in every woman she empowered, and in every community that benefited from her generosity.

She died in 1957, leaving behind a monumental legacy that has too often been overshadowed by later figures. Though she predated and influenced contemporaries such as Madam C.J. Walker, Malone’s story remains a powerful testament to the ingenuity, resilience, and community commitment of Black women entrepreneurs in America.