Sara Spencer Washington facts for kids
Sara Spencer Washington (born June 6, 1889 – died March 23, 1953) was an amazing businesswoman. She started a big company called Apex News and Hair Company. At the 1939 New York World's Fair, she was celebrated as one of the "Most Distinguished Businesswomen" because of her huge beauty business, which included schools and products. Sara Washington also helped her community a lot. She founded a nursing home called Apex Rest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and the Apex Golf Club, which was one of the first golf courses owned by African Americans in the country.
Early Life and Dreams
Sara Spencer Washington was born in Beckley, West Virginia, on June 6, 1889. Her parents were Joshua and Ellen Douglass Phillips. As a girl, she went to public schools in Beckley.
Later, she attended Lincoln Preparatory School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also studied at Norfolk Mission College in Norfolk, Virginia. Before starting her beauty business, Sara studied advanced chemistry at Columbia University.
In 1905, Sara began her career as a dressmaker. She continued this job until 1913. That year, she opened her own small hairdresser shop in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Her parents had wanted her to become a school teacher, but Sara followed her own path.
Building a Beauty Empire
In 1919, Sara Washington started the Apex News and Hair Company. This was in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She began her journey as a cosmetics entrepreneur. She tried out many different beauty products. Her goal was to create products for African American women.
Sara started with just one room for her beauty shop. But she worked very hard to make her business grow. During the day, she worked in her salon. At night, she went door-to-door selling her cosmetic products.
The Apex Beauty Products Company sold many items. These included pressing oils, hot combs, and pomades for hair. They also sold perfumes, beauty creams, and lipsticks. Sara knew that the beauty industry was very important. She believed it was one of the best jobs to have. She famously said, "As long as there are women in the world, there will be beauty establishments."
People in the United States really wanted the products Sara recognized. The Apex company grew to include eleven beauty schools across the country. There were also schools in other countries that taught people how to use her products. It is thought that Sara's company employed almost 500 people in her stores. Plus, about 45,000 sales agents sold Apex beauty products, just like Sara did when she started.
Sara Washington did not invent the beauty industry. But she became very successful after World War I and the Great Depression. She is known for her slogan, "Now is the time to plan your future by learning a depression-proof business." Her company started as a small shop. By the mid-1940s, it was worth almost half a million dollars.
Lasting Legacy
In 1939, Sara Washington's company was honored at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Her business empire had grown a lot. It included the Apex Beauty Products Company and the Apex News and Hair Company. She also had the Apex Publishing Company, which printed the Apex News for her beauty experts and sales agents. There was also Apex Laboratories, which made her cosmetics, Apex Drug Company, and Apex Beauty Colleges.
Sara Washington's award in 1939 brought her international fame. This helped her business grow even more. It also showed how successful African American women could be. Her business success helped her become one of America's first black millionaires.
Sara used her success to help her community. She gave 20 acres of farmland for a campsite for African American youth. She also gave money to support a home for girls. This helped with the education programs of the National Youth Administration.
Today, there is a historical marker in Atlantic City. It is in the neighborhood where Madame Washington lived and ran Apex. One of her most successful schools was The Apex College of Beauty in Philadelphia. It stayed modern for many decades. By the 1980s, it was the oldest Black institution for beauty technology in the country.
