Erika Barris

And George, thinking about the chemistry of it all, is so intrigued that he asks Orville to come watch his barbers in action.

And George saw what the problem was.

They needed something, some ingredient to keep it stable.

George used his boss's chemistry lab to start experimenting.

Finally, George found something he thought was going to work.

He describes it as being thicker than mayonnaise.

He took the formula to Orville, who tried it on some clients.

Yeah.

Now, this wasn't the first hair straightener, but what was new was this product was shelf-stable and reliable.

Eventually, when George and Orville's business relationship soured, Orville left and George and Joan took over.

It was Johnson Products Company.

And George says Joan turned out to be a fearless businesswoman.

Like one time, this barber owed them money.

Remember, this is the 50s, when a woman was not welcome in a barbershop.

They eventually move beyond just barbershops and get their products onto store shelves.

And they start making products for women.

They want to grow more, so they build a real headquarters in their neighborhood on the south side of Chicago.

A laboratory and factory that becomes like a monument to Black culture.

Yeah.

And George hired majority Black people and he paid them well in every division.