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Mae Makes a Way: The True Story of Mae Reeves, Hat & History Maker
Tip your hat to fashion designer and civil rights icon Mae Reeves in this picture book biography written in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture!
"A fine introduction to a determined trailblazer." -The New York Times
Mae had a dream to make one-of-a-kind hats. But the path for a Black female designer was unclear, so Mae made a way, leaving her home in the segregated South to study at the Chicago School of Millinery.
Mae had the skills, but craved the independence to create her own styles. So Mae found a way. In Philadelphia, she became the first Black woman to own a business on South Street. Whether you were Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Marian Anderson or a lady from the neighborhood, Mae wanted you to look good and feel special in one of her original hats.
A mother, a successful entrepreneur, and a community advocate, Mae led the way.
Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, acclaimed author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Two Naomis) and award-winning illustrator Andrea Pippins (I Love My Hair) bring the life of fashion entrepreneur and civic organizer Mae Reeves to the page. And when you are done reading, explore Mae’s store and styles in person at her permanent exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
"A fine introduction to a determined trailblazer." -The New York Times
Mae had a dream to make one-of-a-kind hats. But the path for a Black female designer was unclear, so Mae made a way, leaving her home in the segregated South to study at the Chicago School of Millinery.
Mae had the skills, but craved the independence to create her own styles. So Mae found a way. In Philadelphia, she became the first Black woman to own a business on South Street. Whether you were Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, Marian Anderson or a lady from the neighborhood, Mae wanted you to look good and feel special in one of her original hats.
A mother, a successful entrepreneur, and a community advocate, Mae led the way.
Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, acclaimed author Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Two Naomis) and award-winning illustrator Andrea Pippins (I Love My Hair) bring the life of fashion entrepreneur and civic organizer Mae Reeves to the page. And when you are done reading, explore Mae’s store and styles in person at her permanent exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published May 24, 2022
113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 24, 2022
What an amazing woman! Hats were certainly worn as a fashion statement - it makes you wonder if they'll ever make a real return to fashion?
February 16, 2023
Mae Reeves was born in 1912 in Vidalia, Georgia. When Mae was a little girl, although outright slavery was now banned, the effort to maintain white race-based hegemony was still in full force.
“Jim Crow” laws taking rights away from Blacks were enacted in one state of the South after another. The Klan was given free rein to exercise police power over Blacks without fear of reprisal. Schools and other public services for Blacks were defunded. History textbooks used in southern schools were designed to teach white superiority and Black backwardness, so that children imbibed these ideas from the earliest age. [These practices persisted until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, but did not end entirely. Rather, they took on new shapes; the battle for racial justice continues to this day.]
Mae sought solace from better worlds she could create herself. She designed and sewed fancy clothes for her dolls. She wrote plays in which she starred. Yet sorrow came anyway; her parents died when she was fourteen. She and her younger siblings went to live with her grandmother.
Mae began work as a school teacher when she was still a teenager, in order to contribute to the upkeep of her family. She also wrote articles for the newspaper. To escape “Jim Crow,” she joined “The Great Migration,” i.e., the movement of approximately six million Blacks from the American South to Northern, Midwestern, and Western states roughly from the 1910s until the 1970s.
Settling in Chicago, Mae continued to teach, attending the Chicago School of Millinery during her summers off. She married and had a son, but her husband died in an accident, and Mae had to figure out a way to support her child on her own. She took Sonny and moved to Philadelphia where one of her brothers lived. There, she worked in a shop, and started making hats to sell - “fun hats with feathers, fancy hats with flowers, and everything in between.” “Mae of Philadelphia” became famous.
In 1941, at age 28, Mae went to a Black-owned bank and applied for a loan to open her own shop, “Mae’s Millinery.”
The author writes, “Mae made everyone feel their best selves with her glimmery hats, shimmery hats, snappy hats, and happy hats.” Famous Black entertainers like Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald came to her shop, but rich white ladies shopped there too.
Mae married again and had two more children. She volunteered with civil rights organizations, and “‘lifted as she climbed,’ raising money to help others in her community and driving older ladies around town in her shiny car, wherever they wanted to go.”
In 1947, Mae bought a new shop in a white area, and her loyal customers followed. She gave family members jobs in her shop and had her friends model her creations at fashion shows and fancy teas.
The fashions for hats changed: “In the 1960s and 1970s, fluffy Afros and poofy bouffants meant that Mae’s elegant creations and spectacular crowns were no longer in high demand.” But ladies still wanted her unique hats for church, and she kept her shop open for many years.
July 27, 2010 was declared "Hats Off to Mae Day," by the city of Philadelphia. Mae was honored with the "Pioneer" award from the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress on October 29, 2010, on her 98th birthday.
When Mae died on December 14, 2016 at age 104, she was survived by nine grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and eight great-great grandchildren. The author writes:
“Her magnificent work and unquenchable spirit live on. She made the crowns, and we can hold them in our hearts. Mae, like so many, made a way out of no way, so we can hold our heads high and our dreams even higher.”
In 2009, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC ) obtained Reeves' collection of vintage hats, and antique furniture from her millinery shop, in addition to other personal items. In 2016 the museum opened with a permanent exhibit of Reeves' extensive collection, including the shop's original red-neon sign, sewing machine, and furniture.
Back matter of the book includes an informative and touching interview with Donna Limerick, Mae Reeve’s daughter, an interview with Dr. Renee S. Anderson, Head of Collections at the NMAAHC, “About the NMAACH,” and a list of sources.
Illustrations by Andrea Pippins reflect her background in graphic design.
Evaluation: Mae Reeves was so brave, talented, and inspirational, it is hard not to get excited about her story. I would have liked to have seen more actual photos of her work, but if you put “Mae Reeves hats” into Google images, you can see some of her magnificent creations. You can also go directly to a site on the Mae Reeves exhibit at NMAAHC, here.
“Jim Crow” laws taking rights away from Blacks were enacted in one state of the South after another. The Klan was given free rein to exercise police power over Blacks without fear of reprisal. Schools and other public services for Blacks were defunded. History textbooks used in southern schools were designed to teach white superiority and Black backwardness, so that children imbibed these ideas from the earliest age. [These practices persisted until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, but did not end entirely. Rather, they took on new shapes; the battle for racial justice continues to this day.]
Mae sought solace from better worlds she could create herself. She designed and sewed fancy clothes for her dolls. She wrote plays in which she starred. Yet sorrow came anyway; her parents died when she was fourteen. She and her younger siblings went to live with her grandmother.
Mae began work as a school teacher when she was still a teenager, in order to contribute to the upkeep of her family. She also wrote articles for the newspaper. To escape “Jim Crow,” she joined “The Great Migration,” i.e., the movement of approximately six million Blacks from the American South to Northern, Midwestern, and Western states roughly from the 1910s until the 1970s.
Settling in Chicago, Mae continued to teach, attending the Chicago School of Millinery during her summers off. She married and had a son, but her husband died in an accident, and Mae had to figure out a way to support her child on her own. She took Sonny and moved to Philadelphia where one of her brothers lived. There, she worked in a shop, and started making hats to sell - “fun hats with feathers, fancy hats with flowers, and everything in between.” “Mae of Philadelphia” became famous.
In 1941, at age 28, Mae went to a Black-owned bank and applied for a loan to open her own shop, “Mae’s Millinery.”
The author writes, “Mae made everyone feel their best selves with her glimmery hats, shimmery hats, snappy hats, and happy hats.” Famous Black entertainers like Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald came to her shop, but rich white ladies shopped there too.
Mae married again and had two more children. She volunteered with civil rights organizations, and “‘lifted as she climbed,’ raising money to help others in her community and driving older ladies around town in her shiny car, wherever they wanted to go.”
In 1947, Mae bought a new shop in a white area, and her loyal customers followed. She gave family members jobs in her shop and had her friends model her creations at fashion shows and fancy teas.
The fashions for hats changed: “In the 1960s and 1970s, fluffy Afros and poofy bouffants meant that Mae’s elegant creations and spectacular crowns were no longer in high demand.” But ladies still wanted her unique hats for church, and she kept her shop open for many years.
July 27, 2010 was declared "Hats Off to Mae Day," by the city of Philadelphia. Mae was honored with the "Pioneer" award from the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress on October 29, 2010, on her 98th birthday.
When Mae died on December 14, 2016 at age 104, she was survived by nine grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and eight great-great grandchildren. The author writes:
“Her magnificent work and unquenchable spirit live on. She made the crowns, and we can hold them in our hearts. Mae, like so many, made a way out of no way, so we can hold our heads high and our dreams even higher.”
In 2009, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC ) obtained Reeves' collection of vintage hats, and antique furniture from her millinery shop, in addition to other personal items. In 2016 the museum opened with a permanent exhibit of Reeves' extensive collection, including the shop's original red-neon sign, sewing machine, and furniture.
Back matter of the book includes an informative and touching interview with Donna Limerick, Mae Reeve’s daughter, an interview with Dr. Renee S. Anderson, Head of Collections at the NMAAHC, “About the NMAACH,” and a list of sources.
Illustrations by Andrea Pippins reflect her background in graphic design.
Evaluation: Mae Reeves was so brave, talented, and inspirational, it is hard not to get excited about her story. I would have liked to have seen more actual photos of her work, but if you put “Mae Reeves hats” into Google images, you can see some of her magnificent creations. You can also go directly to a site on the Mae Reeves exhibit at NMAAHC, here.
June 1, 2022
This introduction to a groundbreaker and history maker whose story will inspire young readers is a 3.5 for me. Talented milliner and civil rights activist, Mae Reeves faced and overcame many challenges on her way to becoming a successful Black businesswoman. Not only did she help rear her siblings after her parents died, but she left Georgia, first to study hat-making in Chicago and later to Philadelphia where she created hats for another shop owner. As her hats, which many considered to be works of art, became more in demand, Mae decided that she wanted to run her own business and received a loan to do so from one of the Black-owned banks. Her business just kept on growing, partly because s many celebrities wanted her hats but also because Mae treated each customer as though she was special. She used her wealth to help others and to support worthy causes, and she never worried about someone's ability to pay for those hats. And after her shop closed due to changes in fashion, it was left just as it had been when she created those hats for shoppers, a unique view into history and times past. Her shop's contents are now on permanent display at the Smithsonian. This is a fine introduction to an amazing, groundbreaking, and determined woman who "like so many, made a way out of no way, so we can hold our heads high and our dreams even higher" (unpaged). My only concern was how the author writes that after she was no longer able to climb up and down the stairs from her home to her shop, she "went to live in a special place with other elders" (unpaged), which left me wondering what that special place might be other than an assisted living facility. The digital illustrations seems to be lovingly created, filled with all sorts of hats, and the verve that Mae must have had when she first opened Mae's Millinery and kept it going for all those years. The back matter includes interviews with Mae's daughter, Donna, and the head of collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture as well as photos of one of her exquisite creations, her sewing machine, and a family photo. Not only is Mae's story fascinating, partly because she seemed to view each customer as an individual and regard her hats as a way to lift up others' spirits, but it reminds readers how much fashion and styles have changed over the years. As was noted in the book, it seems that hats like hers have gone out of style except for women wearing them on Sunday or perhaps for a special occasion.
June 25, 2024
“By the early 1900s, when Mae was a girl, slavery had officially ended in the US. But new segregation laws kept Black people apart and unequal. Instead of liberty and justice, Black citizens like Mae and her family faced violence and oppression. Little Mae in her ruffles and ribbons brought joy in the midst of much suffering.
“But even in integrated cities, Black people lived unequal lives. Black women were often treated as though they were invisible. When a Black woman went out wearing a hat and gloves, there was a chance she’d be shown more respect. Hats were a way for these queens to be SEEN, shining a light on the dignity they always had.
“Mae Reeves made a loving, creative life with her family, including her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren - and even great-great-grandchildren. She died when she was 104 years old.
“Her magnificent work and unique chapel spirit live on. She made crowns, and we can hold them in our hearts. Mae, like so many, made a way out of no way, so we can hold our heads ich and our dreams even higher.”
“In 2009, a new national museum was announced. The National Museum of African American History and Culture would be the first of its kind, sharing the many stories and memories of Black people in the United States. The museum curators asked African Americans across the country to bring their special family items and stories to them, so that they could build a museum collection for all the world to see.”
“But even in integrated cities, Black people lived unequal lives. Black women were often treated as though they were invisible. When a Black woman went out wearing a hat and gloves, there was a chance she’d be shown more respect. Hats were a way for these queens to be SEEN, shining a light on the dignity they always had.
“Mae Reeves made a loving, creative life with her family, including her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren - and even great-great-grandchildren. She died when she was 104 years old.
“Her magnificent work and unique chapel spirit live on. She made crowns, and we can hold them in our hearts. Mae, like so many, made a way out of no way, so we can hold our heads ich and our dreams even higher.”
“In 2009, a new national museum was announced. The National Museum of African American History and Culture would be the first of its kind, sharing the many stories and memories of Black people in the United States. The museum curators asked African Americans across the country to bring their special family items and stories to them, so that they could build a museum collection for all the world to see.”
June 22, 2022
This picture book biography celebrates a Black woman whose work is part of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mae Reeves made hats for clients of different races, was a very successful entrepreneur, made a difference in her community, and was a loving, involved mother and grandmother. I appreciate how this book focuses on her creativity, her commercial savvy, and her self-giving love as key aspects of who she was, instead of just focusing on the artistic or the money-making side of things.
This book is very informative. It covers Mae's whole lifespan, and shares key information about American history as the backdrop to her experiences. This is wonderfully educational, and even though I personally found the illustrations flat and would have liked more detail in people's faces, the images bring history to life as well. Readers will also enjoy the photographs in the backmatter, and the additional information about how Mae's work became a museum exhibit.
This book is very informative. It covers Mae's whole lifespan, and shares key information about American history as the backdrop to her experiences. This is wonderfully educational, and even though I personally found the illustrations flat and would have liked more detail in people's faces, the images bring history to life as well. Readers will also enjoy the photographs in the backmatter, and the additional information about how Mae's work became a museum exhibit.
October 31, 2022
This is the true story of Mae Reeves - who made both hats and history. A recreation of her shop is in the National Museum of African American History and Culture along with some of her hats and her inspiring story. Mae was raised in Vidalia, Georgia. She grew up taking care of younger siblings and then became a teacher. But discrimination made life hard in Georgia so she moved to Chicago and learned to make hats. Eventually she relocated to Philadelphia where she was able to obtain a loan from a bank and open Mae's Millinery - her very own hat store. But Mae did more than just create show-stopping hats. She inspired people, helped her community and became an example of what a black woman could do.
Hopefully some day I will be able to visit the museum and see Mae's shop in person! Her story is very inspiring.
Hopefully some day I will be able to visit the museum and see Mae's shop in person! Her story is very inspiring.
June 3, 2022
"It was time to do new things to build better tomorrows, even though many people wanted Black women to stay stuck in yesterdays. Could Mae make a new way?"
An in-depth and detailed account of Mae Reeves' life, Rhuday-Perkovich's and Pippins' picture book offers an insightful and colorful story. From her childhood up until her passing--at the age of 104!--Mae Reeves was an upstander and a community figure, always trying to bring beauty and happiness to not only her customers but to everyone around her.
The colors of this book are absolutely wonderful, and Rhuday-Perkovich definitely did her research, boasting an interview with Reeves' daughter, Smithsonian photographs, and a bibliography.
This is a must-have for the burgeoning creative in your family!
An in-depth and detailed account of Mae Reeves' life, Rhuday-Perkovich's and Pippins' picture book offers an insightful and colorful story. From her childhood up until her passing--at the age of 104!--Mae Reeves was an upstander and a community figure, always trying to bring beauty and happiness to not only her customers but to everyone around her.
The colors of this book are absolutely wonderful, and Rhuday-Perkovich definitely did her research, boasting an interview with Reeves' daughter, Smithsonian photographs, and a bibliography.
This is a must-have for the burgeoning creative in your family!
June 14, 2022
In Mae Makes a Way, author Rhuday-Perk0ovich successfully captures the picture book biography by telling the life story of Mae Reeves -- an African American successful businesswoman that is probably known by few but needs to be known by many. Her rise in the business world as a successful hat maker reflects the challenges black-owned businesses faced and how those business and the world around them changed over time. It is an informing story of art, fashion, business and social change. The story draws inspiration from an exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. End notes include an interview with Mae's daughter and the museum curator. Additional references and resources are listed at the end. A worthy title for any classroom collection.
February 26, 2023
Tells the story of a significant figure in our country’s history. Reeves was a successful milliner, civic organizer, and Black business owner in a time when these accomplishments were more difficult than they are now.
Items from Reeve’s millinery shop including many of her stunning hats are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).
Reeves made hats for the biggest names of the day (Lena Horne, Marion Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald), as well as for wealthy White women and less well-off Black women. The narrative puts Reeve’s accomplishments into historical and cultural context: “Hats were a way for these queens (Black women) to be SEEN, shining a light on the dignity they always had.”
Items from Reeve’s millinery shop including many of her stunning hats are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).
Reeves made hats for the biggest names of the day (Lena Horne, Marion Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald), as well as for wealthy White women and less well-off Black women. The narrative puts Reeve’s accomplishments into historical and cultural context: “Hats were a way for these queens (Black women) to be SEEN, shining a light on the dignity they always had.”
July 22, 2022
A really wonderful picture book biography of Mae Reeves, legendary Black milliner. While a fairly lengthy account, Rhuday-Perkovich managed to hold my attention all the way through. I loved hearing about Mae's early life all the way through her becoming the first Black woman business-owner on Philadelphia's South street, and beyond. Andrea Pippin's illustrations are warm and sweet.
Themes: Fashion, STEAM, Black History, Women's History, Great Migration
Readalikes: Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal
Age range: Elementary
Themes: Fashion, STEAM, Black History, Women's History, Great Migration
Readalikes: Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal
Age range: Elementary
September 4, 2022
Mae Makes A Way, it's a delightful and interesting book about how Mae Reeves worked in her community, fostered relationships and the committed clientele that followed her throughout her life. Mae worked for other clothing boutiques before venturing out to begin her small business.
Mae’s skills, kindness,and lighthearted mannerisms allowed Mae’s business to succeed and helped her provide for her son. The descriptions of her interactions with her clients and the way she was received by both the white and black community was a refreshing look at African-American life during her time period.
Please note I listen to the audiobook version and did not see the illustrations but based on the cover I'm sure the other book Illustrations are beautiful. This book is a win, and I still smile several days after reading it. I love hearing stories about how previous generations overcame life challenges and found ways to survive and thrive.
Mae’s skills, kindness,and lighthearted mannerisms allowed Mae’s business to succeed and helped her provide for her son. The descriptions of her interactions with her clients and the way she was received by both the white and black community was a refreshing look at African-American life during her time period.
Please note I listen to the audiobook version and did not see the illustrations but based on the cover I'm sure the other book Illustrations are beautiful. This book is a win, and I still smile several days after reading it. I love hearing stories about how previous generations overcame life challenges and found ways to survive and thrive.
August 15, 2022
Well researched and thoughtful. It’s a rare pleasure to read about a Black woman who did well for herself and lived a long and productive life. So many stories of this nature get mired in what’s awful, or conversely are relentless uplift machines. This book is snugly neither, and I appreciate that. It was also a little placid.
July 24, 2023
An inspiring story about how everyday people can make a difference in their communities. This is a picture biography about Mae Reeves, a master milliner who lived to be 104 years old! Thanks to her daughter Donna, her work has been recognized and included in the Smithsonian and NMAAHC (National Museum of African American History and Culture).
August 16, 2022
This was good. The text was a little long and I wish there had been a note on the quotes integrated into the text. Are they all from Mae or other places as well like when the text comments that Mae “lifted as she climbed”. That’s a common phrase now so did she say it or is it from another source?
Backmatter includes interview with Mae Reeves’ daughter Donna Limerick, with Dr. Reneé S. Anderson head of collections at NMAAHC, not about the museum, photo credits, and sources.
Backmatter includes interview with Mae Reeves’ daughter Donna Limerick, with Dr. Reneé S. Anderson head of collections at NMAAHC, not about the museum, photo credits, and sources.
May 26, 2022
Such a great read! Super educational, fun, and important. Great for any kids!
July 29, 2022
Well-done picture book biography of an inspiring woman. A bit too much text for the young audience, I think. Great for an older reader or a picture book biography classroom project.
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August 17, 2022This is a great book for a history/research project. Plenty of important facts tied together by the story of Mae's life.
January 15, 2023
Cool picture book communicating about part of the museum's exhibit- Mae's Millinery. A story of 'making a way out of no way'- in 20th century America.
January 21, 2023
This was an impressive and detailed biography. Mae Reeves sounds like she was an amazing woman, and I'd love to see the exhibit about her at the NMAAHC someday.
March 19, 2023
A fascinating, informative & interesting story about Mae Reeves & her amazing life! Lots of supplemental info in the end notes, too.
March 3, 2024
Well now I need a fancy hat.
December 20, 2024
Loved this book! So beautifully written.
July 25, 2025
Absolutely Awesome! I got this book at the Book Harvest Block Party on 7/19/2025. I feel like this book is a special treasure.
December 2, 2023
I may just go buy myself a new hat now and swirl with joy.
December 18, 2022
While I learned some information about Mae Reeves from this title, somehow I felt the text was lacking in making me or allowing me to see the person, Mae Reeves. The text somehow did not tell me a story, it was more of a list of Mae did this, next she did this, etc. Also the fact that women, both black and white, prior to the 1970’s wore hats especially for Sunday services and that many many small towns and as well as large ones had millinery shops. Guess I wanted the text to make the point hats were part of the culture and Mae Reeves very successfully entered that world and served her community.
Four pages of addition resources are included.
Adults interested in history of costume will enjoy this title. I actually have had a college level course in the history of costume.
Four pages of addition resources are included.
Adults interested in history of costume will enjoy this title. I actually have had a college level course in the history of costume.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews