French, Robert O., 1923-

Annie Turnbo Malone (1869-1957), founder of Poro College and Poro beauty products, was one of America's earliest and most successful African American beauty culture entrepreneurs. Before African American women had access to professional hair care and products, she had invented her own hair care preparations and equipment, after which she devised a worldwide franchise system of marketing. By the mid-1920s her Poro enterprise had made Malone one of the wealthiest African Americans in the country, and she was nationally known for her munificent philanthropy to African American churches, community organizations and institutions of higher learning. Robert O. French was born in 1923 in Annie Turnbo Malone's hometown of Metropolis, Ill. His mother's family was descended from Malone's Turnbo ancestors.