Willie Lee Morrow was an American inventor and businessman, who worked in the African American hair care industry. He was noted for inventing the Afro pick and developing the forerunner to the Jheri curl hairstyle.
Barber Who Popularized the Afro Pick, Willie Lee Morrow, Dies at 82
Willie Lee Morrow, a sharecropper’s son from Alabama, died on June 22 at his home in San Diego.
He founded a business empire around hair care products for African Americans, including a comb made to go with the natural hairstyles that gained popularity in the 1960s.
He called it the Afro Tease, but it later became known as the Afro pick. He was 82.
According to Cheryl Morrow, his daughter, pneumonia was the cause.
Along with his daughter Cheryl, he is survived by his wife, Gloria (Lacy) Morrow, and another daughter, Angela Morrow. A son, Todd, died before him.
Willie Lee Morrow Age, Family, and Early Life
Willie Lee Morrow was born on Oct. 9, 1939, in Eutaw, Ala., a farming town southwest of Birmingham. His parents, Hollie and Olean (Jordan) Morrow, were sharecroppers, and his father sold bootleg whiskey on the side.
He moved to San Diego in 1959, part of a wave of Black Southerners drawn to Southern California’s warm climate and promise of plentiful jobs. He holds the nationality of American and belongs to the black ethnicity.
Willie Lee Morrow Career, What was his profession?
In 1959, Morrow opened his first hair business in San Diego. Later, he established the California Curl Company, famed for creating and popularizing the afro pick (also called the Afro Tease or “Eze Teze”) and other hairstyles.
It also created the California Curl procedure, which was a forerunner of the Jheri curl. From the 1960s to 1990s, Market Street in San Diego was the home of Morrow’s business and barbershop.
The Principles of Cutting and Styling Negro Hair, a textbook on how to cut and style textured African American hair, was written by Morrow, who was hired by the US Department of Defense to instruct military barbers on how to style Black hair.
He worked as a hairdresser on US military bases and in conflict areas. Ernie Barnes, a well-known African-American painter and a former football player for the San Diego Chargers, depicted Morrow’s barbershop on Market Street in his picture “Willie’s Barbershop.”
In San Diego, Morrow also established African American media. Before founding the San Diego Monitor newspaper in 1986, he initially launched the Black radio station XHRM 92.5 in 1979.
At the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, a museum show about African American hair culture featured various artifacts from his collection of vintage hairstyling equipment 2016.
Which school did he go to?
He attended barber school in San Diego, California.
Willie Lee Morrow Wife, What about his relationship?
In 1966, Morrow wed Gloria Morrow. Until his passing, they were wed for 56 years. They had two kids together, Cheryl and Angela.
Willie Lee Morrow Net Worth, How much does he earn?
According to online sources the net worth of Willie Lee Morrow is around $13 million dollars.
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Is he available on any kind of social media platform?
He does not seem to be available on any social media.
Body Appearance of Willie Lee Morrow’s Height, Weight
| Height | Feet: N / A Centimeter: N / A Meter: N / A |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Weight | Kilogram: N / A Pound: N / A |
| Body type | Fit |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
Interesting facts about Willie Lee Morrow’s you should be know
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Age | 82 Years |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Spouses | Gloria Morrow |
| Children | 2 |
