Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams

Showing posts with label 1960s advertising industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1960s advertising industry. Show all posts

Maybelline's first African American model featured in 1959 Ebony Magazine ad. "Black Women in History Month".


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 tactics. 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

Obituary


      

Martin Luther King Day and Maybelline in the 1960s







Maybelline was the first Cosmetic Company to feature a Black Model in 1959, Je'Taun Taylor.








 In 1964, Great Lash Mascara was born and featured a beautiful young Black Model, who spoke to the growing liberated female market.  The genius in this Ad was connecting Civil Rights with Women's Rights.






Martin Luther King Jr. was the driving force behind the  the March on Washington, which helped bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986.


Maybelline Designer Lash Collection 1968
Read more about Maybelline and Tom Lyle Williams decision to feature Black Models in the 1960s. The Maybelline Story. 4.99 Kindle and 15.95 on Amazon. Or buy a signed copy from me directly from this site.

MAD MEN'S Don Draper sends the 1960's out with a bang... Maybelline changed hands in 1967



While Sterling Cooper and Partners continue adding clients


Don Draper is one hot mess. Sleeping until noon, eating Ritz crackers for breakfast and living with his new roommate... a gigantic cockroach  



Don Draper is still trying to pretend he’s not an unemployed alcoholic.



Last Season of Mad Men will decide Don Drapers fate.


Here is what I was doing during 1964 as a teenager living in Southern California... trying to break into Hollywood.



Went to the TV Premiere of Marlo Thomas’ “That Girl” and loved it!!!

August 25, 1964. Tuesday. Went to a TV Premiere.
The rabbit got out so we called the SPCA. They said they found one so we went to get it, but it wasn’t ours. It was next door the whole time. Pearl got sick so we didn’t go to the beach. Nana came over and let us use her car. My sister Donna, her friend Teri Thompson and I went to Toes. It was ugly and cold. Tonight Pearl, Donna and her friend Linda Kline and I went to a TV Premiere. It was really good! We got to rate the show. It’s called “That Girl.” After, we drove around Hollywood and went to Pandora’s Box. We saw the Marauders playing there. I was so sad because it wasn’t Byron’s band the Marauders. We went to the Purple Onion, but couldn’t get so finally went to Woodies and got Hot Fudge Sundaes. Also, Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins was released today.
saffrons rule that girl
Marlo Thomas “That Girl”  became my all time favorite TV Show as a Teenager.  I wanted to be just like her in every way and I never missed a show. I loved her clothes, shoes, make up and hair.
saffrons rule Pandora's Box
Pandora’s Box The Club was a very cool club that let teenager’s in.  It was actually more of a Coffee House and a Hollywood hot spot in 1964.
saffrons rule woodysmorgasburger
Woody’s SmorgasBurger was the best burger joint ever and you could make up your own burgers and your own Sundae’s with the works.  My family had been going there since I was a little kid in Grammar School.
Saffrons Rule Marauders
I still hadn’t given up hope of snagging Byron Ferguson, the drummer in the Marauders… from Westchester High School.  But this wasn’t his band.


Ultra Lash was launched in 1964, featuring a Black Girl  endorsing the new product.

Tom Lyle Williams, founder of The Maybelline Company
1915-1967,




Check out my hilarious 1964 High School, Saffrons Rule Blog at  http://saffronsrule.com/

Mad Men's Don Draper continues to represent Maybelline in 1966 and 68 and Roger Sterling identify's with Beach Boys song "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" while taking LSD in 1966






I just happened to catch this scene on Mad Men a few weeks ago and was surprised to see this 1960's Maybelline ad still up on the active client bulletin board.
 (in the upper left corner.) 

Mad Men takes place in 1968 this Season. My great uncle Tom Lyle Williams had just sold the Maybelline Company to Plough Inc. December 29th, 1967. 



The same Maybelline ad appeared on Mad Men,
 last Season in 2012.


Roger Sterling, ‘Mad Men”s sophisticated sliver-haired ad executive, went on an LSD trip with help from the 1966 Beach Boys classic ‘I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times



LSD - Beach Boys scene


Beach Boy's I Just Wasn't Made For These Times....
My cousin Chuck Williams BB1 and The Beach Boys



Next week I will be posting the entire 1960's chapter of Maybelline Story, (the chapter that was glossed over in my book.)  It is by far the most extensive "behind the scenes view" of The Maybelline Company ever told, by one of the last living  Maybelline 'Mad Men,' Executives,
 Harris A Neil Jr.  Be sure to check in on Monday.

PAST POSTS ON MAD MEN 



Be sure to watch Mad Men, season 5, on Sunday, and if you haven't been following it, catch up on all the seasons with Netflix. It's one of the best shows on TV, especially if you love vintage. (And, especially because there are ...



Here is another similar Maybelline ad. Tom Lyle Williams, Maybelline's owner, sold Maybelline to Plough Inc. in December of 1967. I was just amazed to see this ad on Mad Men and am so happy I just happened to catch a ...



YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING ABOUT DON DRAPER FROM MAD MEN IS HE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE OF HUMOR. I HOPE HE PLAY'S TOM LYLE IF THE MAYBELLINE STORY EVERY BECOMES AN HBO MOVIE,...




Way before the fictional Mad Men series set the world on fire, creating a mega advertising company in New York in the 1960's, there where the original Mad Men of Chicago set in the early half of the 20TH Century, ...

The original MAD MEN... came out of the Maybelline Co.,

My great uncle Tom Lyle Williams coined the word ULTRA LASH and brought out the first tube of Maybelline with a Duo-Taper brush, in 1964.  
It was all about advertising and Tom Lyle, was an advertising genius. This is also the era, when AMC's TV show, giant, Don Draper, of Mad Men, ruled the
advertising industry on the East Coast.







TV Show, Mad Men's, Don Draper, 1964.



                                        Season Five, cast of Mad Men.


While the Advertising industry was manipulating the
All American image, I was a Junior, at Culver City, High School... totally involved with my girls club,
SAFFRONS, in 1964. 



I became very popular, having a blue and white,
1957 Chevrolet Belair 4 dr Sedan, Hot Rod, Muscle car,


and a house with a swimming pool. 


My best friend Pearl Peskin and I were what you called Beach Bunnies, when Surfers Ruled the West Coast Beaches, in the 1965.  You could see us cruising down to Playa Del Rey, in my 57 Belair, with a car full of Saffrons... cruising for parties on the weekends... or spending 2 hours... everyday... to look model perfect.
I never went in the ocean... just basked in the sun, all day long, while adjusting my tan line.



So that's what I was doing, in 1964 and 65, while my great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, was creating beautiful Maybelline advertisements... that brought teenage girl's, like me,  into the dime stores to buy ULTRA LASH...


Watch Mad Men this Sunday on AMC at 9:00 EST.  And... pick up a copy of my book, The Maybelline Story, if you're curious to know more about my life in the 1960's.

Also, tomorrow my cousin Chuck Williams, aka, BB1 and my sister Donna and I will be at last visiting our great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, 1940, Packard Victoria, so stay tuned this weekend for fun pictures and videos.