Viola Desmond, Entrepreneur
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LOOK
What do you find memorable about this video and story?
THINK
Why was Viola Desmond’s entrepreneurship important for the African Nova Scotian community?
THINK
What is the historical significance of Wanda Robson’s and Viola Desmond’s experiences of racism?
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Historical Context
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- In this oral history recording, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career.
- Desmond took a “beauty culture” program in New York City, studying under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
- After returning to Halifax, Desmond opened her own salon and beauty school, and created a line of beauty products.
- Desmond became a role model for Black women, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
In this video, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur.
Desmond was a teacher at two Black high schools before switching to “beauty culture”: hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making. In New York City, she studied under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon and beauty school. She created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her school. Her sister helped package the products.
Desmond became a role model for Black women in eastern Canada, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
This oral history recording by Wanda Robson — Viola Desmond’s sister and youngest sibling — discusses Viola’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur. Robson played a central role in raising public awareness of her sister’s significance by sharing her recollections with Canadians across the country.
After graduating from high school, Desmond taught in two segregated Black high schools before going to Montréal and New York to study beauty culture (hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making).
In New York, Desmond studied under Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire, who made her fortune through a business empire based on cosmetics and hair-care products for Black women.
At the time, there were few professions open to Black women, and Black women in Nova Scotia did not have the option of studying beauty culture or going to salons. After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon. Building upon her success, she later opened a beauty school — the Desmond School of Beauty Culture — to train women and to expand her own business across the province.
Like Madame C.J. Walker, Desmond created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her beauty school. As the video describes, her sister Wanda helped to package those beauty products.
Viola Desmond was a true role model for African Nova Scotian women in Halifax, and across the province. She empowered Black women to take pride in their appearance, and inspired others to create their own beauty businesses. Black women from New Brunswick and Quebec also enrolled in her Beauty School, with as many as 15 students graduating from the program each year.
- In this oral history recording, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career.
- Desmond took a “beauty culture” program in New York City, studying under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
- After returning to Halifax, Desmond opened her own salon and beauty school, and created a line of beauty products.
- Desmond became a role model for Black women, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
In this video, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur.
Desmond was a teacher at two Black high schools before switching to “beauty culture”: hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making. In New York City, she studied under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon and beauty school. She created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her school. Her sister helped package the products.
Desmond became a role model for Black women in eastern Canada, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
This oral history recording by Wanda Robson — Viola Desmond’s sister and youngest sibling — discusses Viola’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur. Robson played a central role in raising public awareness of her sister’s significance by sharing her recollections with Canadians across the country.
After graduating from high school, Desmond taught in two segregated Black high schools before going to Montréal and New York to study beauty culture (hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making).
In New York, Desmond studied under Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire, who made her fortune through a business empire based on cosmetics and hair-care products for Black women.
At the time, there were few professions open to Black women, and Black women in Nova Scotia did not have the option of studying beauty culture or going to salons. After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon. Building upon her success, she later opened a beauty school — the Desmond School of Beauty Culture — to train women and to expand her own business across the province.
Like Madame C.J. Walker, Desmond created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her beauty school. As the video describes, her sister Wanda helped to package those beauty products.
Viola Desmond was a true role model for African Nova Scotian women in Halifax, and across the province. She empowered Black women to take pride in their appearance, and inspired others to create their own beauty businesses. Black women from New Brunswick and Quebec also enrolled in her Beauty School, with as many as 15 students graduating from the program each year.
Summary
- In this oral history recording, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career.
- Desmond took a “beauty culture” program in New York City, studying under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
- After returning to Halifax, Desmond opened her own salon and beauty school, and created a line of beauty products.
- Desmond became a role model for Black women, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
Essential
In this video, Wanda Robson discusses her sister Viola Desmond’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur.
Desmond was a teacher at two Black high schools before switching to “beauty culture”: hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making. In New York City, she studied under cosmetics businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire.
After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon and beauty school. She created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her school. Her sister helped package the products.
Desmond became a role model for Black women in eastern Canada, empowering them to take pride in their appearance, and inspiring others to create their own businesses.
In-Depth
This oral history recording by Wanda Robson — Viola Desmond’s sister and youngest sibling — discusses Viola’s career as a beautician and entrepreneur. Robson played a central role in raising public awareness of her sister’s significance by sharing her recollections with Canadians across the country.
After graduating from high school, Desmond taught in two segregated Black high schools before going to Montréal and New York to study beauty culture (hairstyling, cosmetics and wig-making).
In New York, Desmond studied under Madame C.J. Walker, America’s first Black female millionaire, who made her fortune through a business empire based on cosmetics and hair-care products for Black women.
At the time, there were few professions open to Black women, and Black women in Nova Scotia did not have the option of studying beauty culture or going to salons. After obtaining her qualifications, Desmond returned to Halifax and opened her own salon. Building upon her success, she later opened a beauty school — the Desmond School of Beauty Culture — to train women and to expand her own business across the province.
Like Madame C.J. Walker, Desmond created a line of beauty products, which were sold at venues owned by graduates of her beauty school. As the video describes, her sister Wanda helped to package those beauty products.
Viola Desmond was a true role model for African Nova Scotian women in Halifax, and across the province. She empowered Black women to take pride in their appearance, and inspired others to create their own beauty businesses. Black women from New Brunswick and Quebec also enrolled in her Beauty School, with as many as 15 students graduating from the program each year.