Race and Ethnicity in Advertising

African American Cosmetic Labels, 1934-1946 and undated

Collection comprises 50 labels from cosmetics intended for African American consumers by the Chicago-based companies Famous Products, Madame Jones, and Valmor Products. The collection includes labels for skin cream, hair dressing products, scented lotions and oils, talcum and face powder, after shave, and incense. Brand names represented include Madame Jones, Lucky Brown, and Sweet Georgia Brown. The labels feature images of light-skinned men and women with stratighted hair, and label copy often focused on attracting members of the opposite sex.

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The John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History is part of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University. Established in 1992, the Hartman Center holds an extensive collection of print and television advertisements, market research, industry reports, multimedia materials, and more, and facilitates the research of scholars and students interested in a diverse array of topics related to advertising and media.

This project seeks to showcase materials related to race and ethnicity in advertising in America. Focusing particularly on underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, this website serves as a research resource that highlights relevant materials through item and collection descriptions, images, and featured exhibits. Researchers interested in studying race and ethnicity in advertising can learn about and locate specific documents and collections by browsing this website. You can also find out how to search for related materials through our “Research Tips” page.

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