Ro-Zol Complexion Clarifier and Bleach - Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Co.
date: label: date made
content: ca 1910
label: date made
content: ca 1912-1920
name: label: maker
content: Overton Hygienic Mfg. Company
notes: label: Description
content: Anthony Overton, Jr., son of enslaved parents, started the Overton Hygienic Manufacturing Company in Kansas City, Missouri, in the late 1890s. His first important product was baking powder, but by 1900 he had introduced High Brown Face Powder, and a whole line of cosmetics soon followed. At a time when almost all cosmetic products were made by white concerns for white women, Overton made products designed for the skin tones of African Americans. He employed only African American men and women in the manufacturing, packaging, and selling of his products. In 1911, Overton moved his family and business to Chicago, where he led the company until his death in 1946. His son, Everett Overton (1889-1960) took over at that time, and was followed by his grandson, Anthony Overton III, who led the company until its demise in 1983.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Illinois, Chicago
label: place made
content: United States: Missouri, Kansas City
topic: label: Subject
content: African American
label: Subject
content: Cosmetics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
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content: Health & Medicine
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content: Beauty and Health
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content: Beauty and Hygiene Products: Skin
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mary E. and Joseph F. Melfi, Jr., Tupper's Drug Store, Summerville, South Carolina
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1980.0698.126
label: accession number
content: 1980.0698
label: catalog number
content: 1980.0698.126
objectType: label: Object Name
content: personal hygiene product
label: Object Name
content: facial treatment, bleaching
label: Other Terms
content: Medicine; Cosmetics; Patent Medicines; Drugs; Non-Liquid
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper, tin, ink (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: Printed in black ink by off-set lithographic process. (overall; packaging production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 1/8 in x 2 3/8 in x 2 5/8 in; 2.8575 cm x 6.0325 cm x 6.6675 cm