PEORIA, Ill. – State Street from Adams to Washington in Peoria is now “Honorary Annie Malone Place.”
A street-naming ceremony Wednesday afternoon bestowed the honor on a late former Peoria resident known for being the first Black female millionaire for the hair care and cosmetics empire she founded.
Many of Annie Malone’s early years were spent in Peoria – living just a few blocks away from State and Adams.
“As a history buff, it never ceases to amaze me about the history that has taken place in the City of Peoria,” said Peoria City Council member Denise Jackson, Dist. 1.
While her business was largely based in St. Louis, where she also founded a cosmetics college, the Metropolis-born Malone spent many of her younger years in Peoria.
Agabra Bryson says he was often told he didn’t need to know about former Peorian Annie Malone as he was growing up. It wasn’t until later the local historian learned she was a cosmetics and hair care magnate down in Saint Louis.
“When my grandparents died, they left all of this – what almost I would have called called junk if you look through it, because it was so massive. The stuff that I have left is just a small portion of what my grandmother had saved,” said Bryson, which comprises artifacts of Malone’s business and education endeavors. A good portion of those items now have been donated to the Peoria Riverfront Museum, and are being used in the new “Life and Legacy of Annie Malone” exhibit open now.
The street-naming allowed for what some people may have learned growing up, to be corrected.
“A lot of us were taught that Madam C. J. Walker was the first self-made (Black) millionaire in America. Annie Malone definitely came first,” said Everly Davis, Peoria Riverfront Museum. “Madam C. J. Walker did not get the idea to start selling hair care products until after she came across Annie Malone in St. Louis in the early 1900’s.”
A number of people at the naming ceremony said now that the memory of Aunt Jemima is leaving the public consciousness, they hope the memory of Annie Malone rises again.
“With this street sign, we say once and for all, ‘Good bye Aunt Jemima. Welcome back Annie Malone. You were with us all along,” said Pam Adams, longtime local journalist and columnist.
State and Adams is at the back of the Peoria Police Headquarters building.
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