Marjorie Stewart Joyner

Marjorie Stewart Joyner was the granddaughter of a slave and a slave owner. She grew up in relative poverty and left high school to attend beauty school so she could support her family. She became a leading figure in the beauty industry, working as a beautician, salon owner, and business executive, and invented the permanent waving machine to train the hair of any person into curls. Her invention used rods hanging down from a circular frame so that the entire head could be styled simultaneously. Joyner was also an activist, advocating for educational standards for beauticians, and working to improve race relations. The chapter also includes a discussion of the different hair types.