This Week in Women’s History 3.30.17

Marjorie Joyner is a businesswoman from Monterey, Virginia. In 1912, she moved to Chicago and began studying cosmetology. Later she graduated from A.B. Molar Beauty School and became the first Black woman to do so. Soon after, she met the legendary Madam C.J. Walker and began overseeing Walker’s beauty schools. During the course of her career, Joyner taught 15,000 hairstylists, co-wrote cosmetology laws for the state of Illinois, founded a sorority and a national association for black beauticians and more. In 1939, Joyner began looking for a better and more efficient way for Black women to straighten their hair. After being inspired by the design of a pot roast cooking with paper pins to help decrease preparation time, Joyner designed a table that could be used to curl or straighten hair. The device allowed women to straighten or curl their hair by wrapping their hair on rods above the person’s head and setting their hair. As a result, hairstyles lasted for several days. Joyner became the first Black woman to hold a patent for her design. Although some argue that Sarah E. Goode was the first Black woman to hold a patent.

Very little information is known about Theora Stephens however in 1980, Stephens patented her curling hair iron. She is known as the first Black woman to patent this design. Overtime, the curling iron has evolved into a tool that women of all color use today.

Ludmya Bourdeau “Mia” Love is a politician, Hartford University alum and the U.S. Representative from Utah’s 4th congressional district. In 2015, Love became the first Haitian American and the first Black female Republican to be elected into Congress. She is also the first African American to be elected into office from Utah. Love’s political career dates back to 2010 when she was elected as Mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. She served her term from 2010 through 2014. In 2012, she served on its city council.

Loretta Lynch is an African American attorney who served as the 83rd Attorney General of the United States after being appointed by former President Barack Obama making her the first African American woman, the second woman, and the second African American to be confirmed for the position. Prior to Lynch serving as the 83rd Attorney General, she held position for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her position was held under both Clinton and the Obama administrations. In her early career, she worked as a litigation associate for Cahill Gordon and Reindel. She also became a partner at Hogan and Hartson which later became Hogan Lovells.

Michelle Obama is the former First Lady of the United States and wife to former President Barack Obama. In 2009, she assumed the role of America’s first Black first lady of the U.S. Her time has FLOTUS ended in January of 2017. Although Obama held the role as the First Lady, she contributed much more to society. She is a lawyer, writer, advocate for women’s rights and health, and most importantly a mother. She is widely known as the back bone to Obama’s presidential term. She volunteered at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and was an advocate for public service. One of the biggest campaigns she created was called, “Let’s Move.” The campaign was created to help tackle America’s childhood obesity crisis. She also played a role in overhauling the Standard American Diet (SAD) public school lunches and replacing them with healthier options. As far as human rights are concerned, Obama stood strong in her belief of fighting for LGBT rights, and various discrimination and marriage rights acts. Obama has made a numerous amount of contributions during her term as First Lady, leaving behind a great legacy of accomplishment and continues to do so after leaving the White House.

Related Articles