Willie Morrow

Inventor and Business Man

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Willie Morrow is a prominent entrepreneur in the barber community. Born on October 9, 1939 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Morrow is best known for inventing the iconic Afro Pick and creating a hair product line that popularized the famous Jheri Curl hairstyle.

Morrow started his career as a barber in the 1950s and quickly became known for his unique approach to hair care. He believed that Black hair was a form of art and expression, and that it should be celebrated. In the 1960s, Morrow began experimenting with different hair tools and eventually invented the Afro Pick which revolutionized the way Black men and women styled their hair. With longer and wider teeth than traditional combs, the Afro Pick made it easier to comb and style Afro-textured hair. Quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon, the hair tool became widely popular in the Black community and was used by millions of people to style and maintain their natural hair. In 1972, he patented the design for the Afro Pick and it was embraced by the Black community as a symbol of pride.

Over the years, Morrow continued to innovate in the hair industry and created several hair care products. He is also a vocal advocate for Black entrepreneurship and has worked to support other Black inventors and entrepreneurs. Morrow passed away in 2020 at the age of 85, but his legacy lives on as an influential figure in the Black hair care industry.