Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Education

First Advisor

Roger Mitch Nasser Jr.

Second Advisor

Pernell Witherspoon

Third Advisor

Kilinyaa Cothran

Abstract

This study investigates the development, operation, decline, and historical erasure of Poro College, the first multimillion‑dollar, minority‑owned higher education institution and vertical beauty‑culture enterprise, founded by Annie Turnbo Malone in St. Louis, Missouri. Drawing on Poro College documents, Black newspaper archives, National Trust for Historic Preservation records, and interviews with individuals knowledgeable about the institution, the research addresses four central questions: how Poro College was developed; its impact on students, employees, and the surrounding community; its relevance for current and future minority women educators and entrepreneurs; and the factors that contributed to its closure and eventual demolition. Evidence from the Annie Malone Historical Society shows that Poro College served as a major economic, educational, and social hub for African Americans, offering training, employment, and community space during an era of racial exclusion. Despite its success—employing 175 staff by 1926 and supporting a global network of 75,000 agents—the institution faced challenges that led to its relocation in 1930 and the eventual razing of its St. Louis campus in 1965. The study highlights the persistent lack of documentation surrounding Poro College’s history and argues that this gap mirrors ongoing disparities faced by African American women in business and education. Findings underscore the importance of preserving minority‑owned institutional histories and offer insights for contemporary entrepreneurs seeking to build sustainable enterprises. By reconstructing the trajectory of Poro College, this research contributes to the broader understanding of African American educational and economic innovation and provides guidance for future generations committed to similar pursuits.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: The research investigates the historical erasure, operational history, and lack of scholarly documentation regarding Poro College, the first multimillion-dollar, Black-owned higher education institution and vertical beauty-culture enterprise founded by Annie Turnbo Malone in St. Louis, Missouri.

  • The Method: The study used qualitative historiography and ethnography, analyzing primary archival collections—including 142 records from the Claude A. Barnett papers and 19 artifacts from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture—alongside structured interviews with 31 participants evaluated through triangulation and reflexivity.

  • Quantitative Finding: Poro College employed 175 staff members by 1926 and supported a global network of 75,000 agents; 71% of interview participants identified Annie Malone as the founder of Poro College, while 26% did not know and 3% attributed it to Madam C.J. Walker; 19 of 31 participants identified systemic racism, prejudice, and discriminatory taxation as key causes of the institution's destruction; Annie Malone's estimated net worth decreased from $14 million in the 1920s to $100,000 prior to her death in 1957.

  • Qualitative Finding: Poro College established a vital economic and cultural hub that advanced social mobility, vocational training, and a sense of pride and belonging for African American women during racial segregation; the institution's vulnerability to decline and eventual 1965 campus demolition was intensified by punitive excise taxes, costly legal battles, and an absence of preserved corporate accounting records.

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