SAN DIEGO — San Diego advocates are pushing to name a street after a Black haircare icon.
Dr. Willie Morrow was a Black haircare icon and a San Diego native. He's recognized as the inventor of the Afro Pick and the California Curl, which later became known as the Jheri Curl, a very popular hairstyle during the 80's and 90's. Now, there’s a drive to honor Willie Morrow in a very public way.
The People’s Association of Justice Advocates and national civil rights leader Shane Harris, along with Cheryl Morrow, Willie Morrow’s daughter, is leading a campaign to get a San Diego street named in honor of Willie Morrow.
At a press announcement Thursday morning, Harris announced to a round of applause.
"We are going to rename Morrison Street Willie Morrow Way and we're going to do it as quickly as possible," said Harris.
Cheryl Morrow said there's a lot people don't know about her father's legacy.
"He was a good ole fashioned barber that had a vision and expanded it, elevated it and didn't wait for anyone to give him that vision. Most people don't know that he started with jewelry. He went from jewelry to makeup and then makeup to hair," said Morrow.
The process of renaming a street isn't easy and it's time consuming.
The city has to approve and so do the people who live on the street. CBS 8 knocked on a few doors on what is now Morrison Street, to see what neighbors who would be directly impacted think about the name change.
Some offered a few questions like Carlos who asked, "What happens to all my mail and things of that nature?”
Another neighbor, Ryan said, "I know Willie Morrow. That's where 92.5 was."
Once Ryan heard that Morrow had passed away on June 22, Ryan said, “My condolences. The curl activator is still going. That'll probably be cool though. A little change. It's always good for a little change."
Ryan shared that he grew up on Morrison Street saying, "I don't know who Morrison is but Morrison been my street my whole life"
Morrow said, renaming the street will not only leave a legacy, it'll also inspire the next generation of community leaders.
"You don't have to motivate people. You just have to set good examples and allow them to exist generation after generation after generation. Once you make a great story and a great lead in and how it all ends and how many races it included and how many jobs were created, I think it's a no brainer," said Morrow.
The campaign to start the street naming process was announced at the intersection of Market St and Morrison St. Morrison Street spans two blocks in front of the historic two-story building that Morrow established that grew to include a barbershop, salon, The San Diego Monitor Newspaper and San Diego’s 92.5 FM radio station in the late 1970’s.
In order to accomplish the street renaming, Harris said his office will work to get a petition signed, hiring workers to canvass the area collecting signatures by a majority of those who already call Morrison Street home.
Harris said he’s mostly received support from San Diego city leaders in their efforts to rename Morrison Street, Willie Morrow Way. Harris said the process could take six months to a year but adds that they’ll work quickly.
WATCH RELATED: Dr. Willie Morrow: A San Diego black hair care pioneer (Feb. 2022)