Nobia A. Franklin

Nobia A. Franklin (1892–1934, also known as Madame N.A. Franklin) was a Texas beautician and entrepreneur. Her business, geared towards beauty products for black women, was ranked third in the country behind Annie M. Turnbo-Malone's company and Madame C.J. Walker's "beauty empire." Her cosmetics were "meant to flatter, rather than lighten darker skin tones." Franklin's beauty products were never patented.

Biography Franklin was born in Cuero, Texas. In 1910, she moved to San Antonio and opened a salon inside her home. She was consciously emulating other "beauty moguls" like Walker.

Franklin moved to Fort Worth in 1916. She maintained her original school in Houston, even as she was expanding into other locations. In Houston, W.L. McCoy was the general manager of her salon, overseeing a renovation of the building in 1924.

She began to prepare her daughter, Abbie to take over the business; in 1927, they formed the N.A. Franklin Association of Beauty Culture.

Legacy Abbie and Jemison continued to promote Franklin's beauty school, although they withdrew from Chicago and focused on Houston after 1934. It is considered the "oldest continuously operated beauty school in Texas," and before desegregation, was the largest African American beauty school in the Southern United States.