Willie Morrow

Willie Lee Morrow (October 9, 1939 – June 22, 2022) was an American barber, businessman and inventor, who worked in the African American haircare industry. He was noted for inventing the Afro pick and developing the forerunner to the Jheri curl hairstyle.

Willie Morrow
Born(1939-10-09)October 9, 1939
Eutaw, Alabama, U.S.
DiedJune 22, 2022(2022-06-22) (aged 82)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Businessman and inventor

Early life

Morrow was born as one of the eight children to Hollie and Olean (Jordan) Morrow in Eutaw, Alabama, on October 9, 1939.[1] His father and mother were sharecroppers, his father also sold bootleg whiskey.[1][2] He later moved to San Diego, California, where he trained as a barber and stylist at the Independent Barber College, graduating in 1959.[3]

Career

Morrow started his first hair salon in San Diego in 1959.[2] He later founded the California Curl Company, which was noted for developing and commercializing the afro pick, also known as the Afro Tease or "Eze Teze".[4] It also developed the California Curl treatment, precursor to the Jheri curl.[5] Morrow's company and barbershop were located on Market Street in San Diego from the 1960s through 1990s.[6] After writing a manual on how to properly cut textured African American hair, The Principles of Cutting and Styling Negro Hair,[7] Morrow was contracted by the United States Department of Defense to teach Black hair styling techniques to military barbers.[8] In that capacity, he cut hair on US military bases and in combat zones.[2]

Noted African-American painter, and former San Diego Chargers football player, Ernie Barnes portrayed Morrow's barbershop on Market Street in a painting called "Willie's Barbershop".[9]

Morrow also pioneered African American media in San Diego. He first established the Black radio station XHRM 92.5 in 1979, before starting the San Diego Monitor newspaper in 1986.[5][9] Various items in his collection of antique hairstyling tools were displayed in a museum exhibit about African American hair culture at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, in 2016.[2][10][11]

Personal life

Morrow married Gloria Morrow in 1966. They remained married for 56 years until his death. Together, they had two children: Cheryl and Angela.[2] Cheryl succeeded her father in managing the San Diego Monitor and running the California Curl Company after his retirement.[5]

Morrow died from pneumonia on June 22, 2022, at his home in San Diego.[1] He was 82 years old.[2][5]

Books
  • The Principles of Cutting and Styling Negro Hair (1966)[7]
  • 400 Years Without a Comb (1973)[12]

References
  1. Risen, Clay (July 6, 2022). "Willie Lee Morrow, Barber Who Popularized the Afro Pick, Dies at 82". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  2. Cook, Morgan (July 1, 2022). "Willie Morrow, Black community leader and inventor of Afro pick, dies at 82". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  3. "Willie Morrow and how California Curl made it without San Diego banks". October 29, 1981.
  4. Holmes, Natay (February 21, 2022). "Celebrating Willie Morrow's legacy as a San Diego Hair Care Pioneer". KGTV. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  5. Hope, Heather (February 19, 2021). "Highlighting a San Diego Black Hair Care pioneer". KFMB-TV. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  6. Carone, Angela (January 26, 2016). "Black Hair Care Pioneer Subject Of Escondido Museum Exhibit". KPBS. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  7. Morrow, Willie Lee (1966). The Principles of Cutting and Styling Negro Hair. Morrow Publications. OL 22908200M.
  8. "MILITARY BARBERS LEARN TO CUT AFRO; New York Times". The New York Times. January 31, 1971.
  9. "My dad is Willie Morrow. He helped San Diego become the mecca for the Afro-natural movement". September 11, 2020.
  10. Carone, Angela; McVicker, Nicholas (January 26, 2016). "Black Hair Care Pioneer Subject Of Escondido Museum Exhibit". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  11. Kragen, Pam (January 16, 2016). "The black hair story: '400 Years Without a Comb'". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  12. Morrow, Willie Lee (1973). 400 Years Without a Comb. Morrow's Unlimited, Inc.
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