Abby Connolly
In 1918, she established Poro College, a cosmetology school and learning center where students could learn about how to care for and style black hair. There was also a manufacturing plant in the building where Annie would make her products. Students at the college could also learn how to become Poro sales associates.
Poro College employed many black people, especially women, and when combined with the Poro franchise as a whole, employed around 75,000 women throughout the US, South America, Africa, and the Philippines.
By the 1920s, Annie became one of the wealthiest African American women and had an estimated net worth of $14 million. In addition, she often donated to charities and important establishments, like the Howard University College of Medicine.
In 1927, Annie and Aaron went through a brutal divorce. Since he served as President of the Poro company for some time, he demanded half of its value in court battles. Finally, after some negotiating and with support from her employees and high-status friends, Annie paid a settlement of $200,000, a massive amount of money for that time period, to declare herself the sole owner of Poro College.
Although she faced some financial hardships throughout the 1920s and 30s that decreased her overall wealth, Annie continued to develop her business and do tons of philanthropy work before she suffered from a stroke and died in 1957. She died in Chicago at 87, leaving her estate to her nieces and nephews.
In her honor, the city of St. Louis has an annual Annie Malone parade to support children’s charities, just as Annie did. Her legacy lives on through helping others.
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