Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams

Showing posts with label 1959. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1959. Show all posts

Celebrating Black History month, with Maybelline's first Black model, Je'Taun M. Taylor


Je'Taun M. Taylor ; Maiden name Je T'Aime Mason (origin of French word Je T'Aime, meaning "I Love You".)  She was born and raised in Chicago, IL at Cook County Hospital on August 8, 1923. Je'Taun was a very gorgeous, respectable, talented lady with a beautiful soul that shined through her heart of Gold. Her ample wittiness, and extremely broad sense of humor is what made her one of a kind. Je'Taun was all about succeeding and conquering your dreams.



Her vivacious spirit, and distinguished determination is what led to her success, but her strong faith, willingness to give, and readiness to learn is what grounded her foundation and legacy. In the late 1930's Je'Taun attended cosmetology school as well as receiving a certificate in Real Estate, while also venturing off into her own endeavors intending to capitalize off of her business ventures.



Some of those ventures included modeling. She also enjoyed altering and modeling clothes. During that time period it was very hard, especially as a woman, to be recognized, considered, or even taken serious due to not only the societies cliche' about how they portrayed women at the time, but as well as characteristic's as simple as the color of her skin. She had to fight for what she wanted. She often stated that she had to be unique in an indifferent world, she had to make a difference, do something that made a statement, and make her mark in this world. She always talked about the promise land...I'm guessing it refers to all the sacred and anointed blessings God has promised each and every one of us.




 We all have our own unique gifts and talents that He only gave to us. While doing so she also made all her loved ones a believer of Christ, with a hopeful future. She grew up in a Christian home. Her grandmother, Ruth Brown, was a Christian Science Minister. Je'Taun carried her grandmothers strong christian faith on through many generations. She gave everyone she came into contact with hope, chance, encouragement, wisdom, and unconditional love just as God does.



While yet building her modeling career, She had her first child Janice Jackson in 1941. Soon after starting her career, she gained a promising future in modeling with the well known makeup company Maybelline. She was ecstatic to form such a promising future doing exactly what she had wanted to do. She took great joy in modeling for Maybelline. Her career continued to advance with Maybelline, as well as the few business ventures she did with Christian Dior. 
After becoming a bit more successful She then met and married Henry C. Taylor the Vice President of REO movers and van lines, Inc in Chicago, IL. Henry C. Taylor was the brother of Robert Rochon Taylor, 



 Taylor, Robert Rochon (1899–1957) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed  The first African American Chairmen of Chicago Public Housing who is the great-grandfather of 





Valerie Jarrett (Senior Advisor of President Obama)       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerie_Jarrett, and son of 




Robert Robinson Taylor Robert Robinson Taylor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia   the First African American Architect to Graduate MIT.




 After they married she then had her last two children Cherie J. Taylor in 1953 and Joseph Taylor in 1960 her oldest being 12 at the time. All while raising her three children, helping to keep up a household she still managed to pursue her modeling career. She continued modeling until shortly after the death of her 6 month old son in 1961 due to pneumonia. Proceeding her mourning she discontinued her modeling career and decided to dedicate her career path to Realty, so she could spend more time with her family and children. Her husbands business had became very successful during that time, so after working for Travis Realty Group in Chicago, IL for a little under a decade, her first grandchild La'Shaun M. Taylor was born in 1971, where Je'Taun then decided to retire her busy career life at the age of 48 and became a successful stay at home mom. Her and Henry traveled a lot and continued to raise their grandchildren, and her great grandchildren, while continuing to teach and apply the same methods she learned during her successful career path.






 After a few years of success with the REO business Henry then sold his proportion in the business, retired and bought a lounge named The Hide Away in Vandalia, Michigan where he and Je'Taun bought a retirement home in Three Rivers, Michigan. In 1984 Je'Taun suffered another loss of her oldest daughter Janice Jackson due to a tragic house fire. Despite her continuous trials and tribulations, Je'Taun still managed to find beauty in the ashes.




 She lived by the famous Bible scripture "Weeping may endure for the night, but Joy cometh in the morning" -Psalm 30:5... 




Proceeding Janice's tragic death 3 short years after Je'Taun and the Taylor family received another heart wrenching loss. Henry C. Taylor passed away on February 16th 1987 two days before his 75th birthday due to a heart attack. Leaving only Je'Taun, her daughter Cherie, her grandchild La'Shaun and great-granddaughter Joyce J. Taylor here with us. The Taylor family decided to stick together.



 They stayed in Michigan for another decade where her great grandchild La'Shaun married and had 5 children. In 2003 Je'Taun and the Taylor Family proceeded to move back to Her home state in Chicago IL. where they moved into a southern suburb and continued to make ends meet. While raising her grandchildren,





 Je'Taun passed down her many talented gifts such as sewing, modeling, making clothes, designing, and her many cosmetology tatics. She always said don't show the world what you been through by how you look, show them with actions...always look your best, forgive never forget, and love conquers all sin.






She left behind unforgettable lessons and a golden legacy to live by. In 2008 at the age of 85, Je'Taun suffered from a stroke that left her paralyzed on the whole right side of her body.




 Thus, causing her grandchildren to step up and extend the same love that was once given. Although some of her independence was altered, her grandchildren still often caught her applying her makeup and perming her hair. 
 After 5 years of enduring the effects that the stroke caused, on September 12, 2013 Je'Taun proceeded in passing onto a better place.



 She leaves behind her daughter Cherie Taylor, her grand daughters La'Shaun Taylor, Michia Casebier and Kimberly Hicks, as well as her great-grandchildren Joyce Taylor, Antonio Taylor, Charde' Haynes-Taylor, Chane' Haynes-Taylor, Thomeshia Muse, Jadai Echols, and Juanita Echols who all reside in Chicago IL as of 2016.  





 Lessons she passed on--- Stand up and make a name for yourself! Capitalize off your talents. She lived by love, and always kept the faith and respect of Jesus Christ no matter how burdened the suffering. One thing she often said that we all should live by is: You can have it all, then lose it all, and then you'll have nothing...but as long as you keep God you'll always have everything.




A tribute video to their Grandmother, Je'Tuan Taylor

Great Granddaughters of Maybelline's first African American Model, Je'Taun M. Taylor, review The Maybelline Story


Je'Taun M. Taylor, Maybelline's first African American model, 1959, read more about this amazing woman, click link.
http://www.maybellinebook.com/2016/02/jetuan-m-taylor-maybellnes-first.html





Review by Chane' Haynes,
Je'Taun M. Taylor's Great Granddaughter

Hi Sharrie☺️ how are you? Prayerfully better than ever! I have just closed your beautifully written book on its last chapter....and might I say that is one hell of a story!!!!!!! I loved and enjoyed every minute of it....up until that last part....with Nana....I can't stop crying.....who would be that sick and heartless😕😭😢....I despise Danie....my heart aches and goes out to you and your family....on the contrary this story inspired me....you and I have dealt with tremendously the same pain it's crazy....the weight thing I'm still trying to conquer, kudos to you😘😘😘....and my grandmother Cherie was just like your Nana....personality wise always seemingly judgmental yet only wanting the best for us......your story ignited a fire in me that I thought died long ago....it inspires me to to go full head on unapologetically with my dreams and to keep fighting the good fight no matter what life throws at me....your whole family were fighters not only verbally but physically and emotionally....it made me feel as though I was reading about my family without the money lol....I felt indulged in the story as if it were happening in front of my eyes....this book definitely deserves airtime for a movie and 5 amazing stars....I'm not saying that just to be saying that, you definitely can change the route in someone's life just by inspiration and this book was just that! It gave me life, hope, and sadness took me through so many emotions but I loved every bit of it....I would love to write a book just don't know where to start....you know your blessed if you can inspire and change someone through text who has never met you, and that you are! Thank you for this special gift....it will remain with me forever and all the lessons it has taught me.....I will continue to read this book lol I could never get tired of it. Thank you for your story.




Review by Mami-Melay Tati Taylor
Je'Taun M. Taylor's Great Granddaughter


One of the ‪#‎Best‬ books I've read in my 23 years of living hands down!! ‪#‎TheMaybellineStory‬ by Sharrie Williams ....a memorabilia that seeps drama, laughter, pain, pleasure, wealth, wisdom, inspiration and hope all in one....also gives very knowledgeable tactics on advertising, marketing and entrepreneurship for the business mind as well as inquires inside scoop on how the beauty industry operates....Definitely is going to make a great movie and I can't wait to watch! 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A ‪#‎MustRead‬ go get your copy!! click the ‪#‎link‬ to show this amazing story support...and if not this show will still move forward. Y'all be blessed✌🏽️👌🏽

Maybelline says goodbye to the 1950's.

In 1959, Maybelline introduced Magic Mascara, with it's revolutionary new Spiral Brush, saying goodbye forever to the little red box. The end of the decade marked the beginning of the Boomer Generation, reaching their teenage years, and Maybelline jumped into the youth market with this new exciting product.




Even with all the excitement going on within the Maybelline Company - sponsoring the Miss America Contest, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier lll, wedding in Monaco  The Perry Como Show and introducing exciting new products - Tom Lyle, Unk Ile to us, always found time to spend with his family, both on the West Coast and Chicago.  His generosity and humble spirit made him the ideal Godfather to the entire family and he taught us all to be grateful for the simple yet fun lives we had in the 1950s and to look forward to an even brighter future to come.    


My four year old sister Billee Rae Williams, with Unk Ile, (Tom Lyle,) and her Barbie Doll, Christmas, 1959.
My father, Bill Williams on the right, saying goodbye to friends, New Years, 1959.
New Years at our house in California,1959,
 ushering in 1960.

Thank you for following the Maybelline Blog through the decades of the 20th Century in America.  I hope this has been fun as well as educational, as you traveled with a family who created a company that influenced so many women for over 95 years. This is my way of giving back to the world for everything that has been given to me.


If you want to take a real joy ride through the ups and downs of American life with the Williams family be sure to purchase a signed copy of The Maybelline Story from my site, Barnes and Noble or amazon.com.