Mae Makes a Way

Celebrate the remarkable journey of Mae Reeves, a pioneering fashion designer and civil rights advocate, in this engaging picture book biography created in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. From her beginnings in the segregated South, Mae defied odds to become the first Black woman to own a business on South Street in Philadelphia, where she crafted unique hats for notable figures and her community. With inspiring text by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and vibrant illustrations by Andrea Pippins, this book highlights Mae's legacy as a trailblazer in both fashion and civic engagement.