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How Black hair care grew Black power

Overview

Shownote

Highlights

Transcript

Chapters

Pins

How Black hair care grew Black power

Planet Money

Jan 07
Planet Money

Planet Money

Jan 07
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

The Afro is one of the most iconic hairstyles of the last century. And one of its main ingredients was a hair product – Afro Sheen. But Afro Sheen did so much more than make Black afros shine. It was the money behind the television show Soul Train, it help...

Highlights

The story of a groundbreaking Black-owned business unfolds through the lens of hair — not just as style, but as identity, resistance, and economic power. At the heart of it is a couple whose vision transformed an industry and fueled a cultural revolution.
00:00
George Johnson was the maker of Afro-Sheen, a central product in Black culture and the rise of Black business.
08:30
George Johnson learned chemistry on the job while working at a Black-owned cosmetics company.
15:16
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited George's research facility due to financial difficulties, leading to critical support from Independence Bank.
21:51
Releasing detailed profit reports made bigger companies like Revlon realize the profitability of the Black market.
27:45
The global black hair care market is now worth about $4 billion

Chapters

How a Dream Grew from a Kitchen Experiment
00:00
From Poverty to Power in Post-War Chicago
06:23
What Happens When Hair Becomes a Revolution?
09:24
Was Color TV the Secret Weapon for Black Brands?
18:40
When Success Isn’t Enough to Stay on Top
25:02
Who Owns Black Beauty Today?
28:24

Transcript

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