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Encanto Street Renamed to Honor Willie L. Morrow
November/December 2025
 Willie Morrow’s widow Gloria Morrow holds the “Willie Morrow Way” street signs as Councilmember Foster and Shane Harris cut the ribbon opening new Honorary Willie Morrow Way in Encanto. Courtesy Shane Harris |
On October 9, 2025—what would have been his 85th birthday—a section of Tooley Street in San Diego’s Encanto neighborhood was officially renamed Willie L. Morrow Way in honor of the late pioneer in Black haircare, media, and community empowerment.
The new street sign now stands near the family home, where Morrow (1943-2022) and his wife, Gloria Morrow, raised their family and built a legacy of entrepreneurship and cultural leadership.
Willie Morrow’s life story is one of ingenuity, perseverance, and pride. Born in Alabama to a family of sharecroppers, he taught himself barbering and chemistry—skills that led to groundbreaking innovations in haircare, including the Afro hair pick and Jheri Curl products.
From his shop in southeastern San Diego, Morrow built a multifaceted business empire encompassing beauty products, publishing, and broadcasting. He founded The San Diego Monitor newspaper and operated the city’s first Black-owned radio station, 92.5 FM, providing platforms that amplified African American voices and stories during the 1970s and ’80s.
At the commemorative ceremony, city leaders, family, friends, and community members gathered to celebrate Morrow’s enduring impact.
Shane Harris, president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, who led the successful renaming effort, described Morrow as “a man who built an empire with his own two hands right here in southeast San Diego and beyond … He didn’t just cut hair; he shaped culture.”
Councilmember Henry Foster III, who shepherded the initiative through City Hall, called Morrow’s inventions and entrepreneurship “symbols of pride and self-determination for Black people across the world.”
Among the invited speakers was SOHO Executive Director Bruce Coons, who spoke about the importance of recognizing Morrow’s place in San Diego’s cultural and historical narrative.
“This is a great day for this community whose stories have, in the past, not received the recognition they deserve,” Coons said. “It is especially important to commemorate and celebrate this history. Naming this street after Willie Morrow ensures that his contributions and struggles are remembered and that his legacy will continue to inspire present and future generations. This street will serve not only as a tribute to Willie Morrow, but as a reminder of the strength, innovation, and perseverance that define this community.”
Coons also noted that the next step should be the historical designation of Morrow’s family home, ensuring that his story and the story of Black achievement in southeastern San Diego is further preserved for generations to come.
SOHO extends its gratitude to Shane Harris and Councilmember Foster for making this recognition possible. Their efforts affirm the value of inclusive preservation and the celebration of San Diego’s diverse cultural heritage, one inspiring person at a time.
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