Little Known Black History Fact: Christina M. Jenkins

In 1951, Christina M. Jenkins submitted a patent “hair weave.” A former wig company employee, Jenkins created a new process of adding synthetic extensions by sewing hair onto cornrows. Similar to Madam C.J. Walker, she opened her own cosmetology school to teach others her technique. Christina Mae Thomas was born Christmas Day in 1920, although there are conflicting dates regarding her day of birth. She was born in Louisiana but details of her early life are scarce. What is known is that she graduated from Leland College near Baton Rouge with a degree in science in 1943. Jenkins started work at a wig manufacturer in Chicago and in 1949, she began working on a technique to make a more secure fitting wig. She then moved to Malvern, Ohio and began studying how sewing in commercial hair with a person’s natural hair added length and body. Thus in 1951, Jenkins filed a patent for her “HairWeev” technique, which was granted in 1952. Jenkins owned and operated her Christina’s Hair