Advertisement for the Poro System agency
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1925
name: label: Distributed by
content: Poro System, American, 1902 - 1951
label: Printed by
content: St. Louis Embossing Inc., American
label: Subject of
content: Poro College, American, 1918 - 1950s
label: Owned by
content: Lucille Brown, American, 1892 - 1960
notes: label: Description
content: A cardboard sign advertising Annie Malone’s “Poro” System agency. The advertisement is red, white, blue, and yellow. The product name is centered at the top of the sign in a blue rectangular field with white text outlined in light blue that reads, [“PORO” / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.]. Below is a rectangular field bordered in a blue and green floral motif. The field itself is dominated by a red and white vertical striped banner outlined in gold and blue, resembling an American flag bunting. At the top of the banner is a light blue oval with decorative flourishes. In the center of the oval is dark blue text in varying fonts that read, [For / HAIR AND SKIN]. At the bottom of the banner is a yellow rectangular box with dark blue text that reads, [AGENCY]. There are two holes punched along the top, middle edge for hanging the sign. On the bottom left corner of the sign is blue text that reads [This sign remains the property of / PORO COLLEGE, ST. LOUIS, MO.]. The embosser’s mark is on the bottom right corner. There is an inscription in pencil on the back of the sign.
place: label: Place made
content: Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Advertising
label: Topic
content: Beauty schools
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Hair
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Memorabilia and Ephemera - Advertisements
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2016.90.4
objectType: label: Type
content: advertisements
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on cardboard
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 10 7/16 × 13 9/16 × 1/8 in. (26.5 × 34.4 × 0.3 cm)