ENCANTO (KGTV) — The next time you drive in Encanto, make sure you look at Willie L. Morrow Way. The man whose name is on the sign paved a way for Black hair care in San Diego and around the world.
After years in the making, Tooley Avenue in Encanto was officially renamed Willie L. Morrow Way on Thursday afternoon, with the community watching the historic moment unfold.
Willie Morrow was a barber and hair care entrepreneur who called San Diego home for many years. He invented the Afro pick and the California curl hairstyle, building his reputation in the early 1970s when he trained thousands of barbers and beauticians in the United States military to properly care for Black hair.
His barbershop served as more than just a business – it was a gathering space, a classroom, and a cornerstone of the community.
"This man built an empire with his own two hands right here in Southeast San Diego and beyond, and he did it with purpose," said public advocate Shane Harris. "This street, Willie Morrow Way, isn't just about where we drive, it's about where we're going. It's about legacy. It's about leadership."
Morrow passed away in 2022. Since then, Harris pushed to get this street named after the pioneering entrepreneur.
"The name will remind them of what's possible when we believe in ourselves and invest in our own," Harris said.
The timing of the street renaming held special significance – Thursday would have been Morrow's 85th birthday.
ABC 10News interviewed Morrow's daughter Cheryl in July, who said she can't help but be proud of her father's legacy.
"When your name is good as gold because of how you treated people, that is the greatest thing that any heir could inherit," Cheryl said.
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