Uncrowned Community Builders

Ms. Eddie Parker was a beautician who introduced a new chemical hair straightener in Buffalo. She was a native of Ninety Six, South Carolina. She came to Buffalo in 1945 and studied at Lillian Dora's School of Beauty Culture. In 1955 she opened Eddie's Hairstylist on Genesee Street where it operated for 27 years. She took chemistry for two years at college in order to introduce the use of chemicals on the hair to her clients. She also was the first black woman to introduce the hair weave technique and hair additions mainly for women who had lost their hair as a result of cancer treatments. Eddie and her husband built the first split level house on Humboldt Parkway.

She was 73 years of age at the time of her death. She died on September 26, 1994. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.