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Procter & Gamble's My Black is Beautiful Multicity Tour Arrives in Chicago to Inspire African-American Women to Celebrate Their Unique Beauty

Celebrity Actress Tasha Smith and Panel of African-American Experts in Beauty, Health and Entertainment Take Part in the Second Annual Multicity Tour

Cincinnati, OH (May 12, 2009) — Procter & Gamble's (P&G) 2009 My Black is Beautiful multicity tour arrives next in Chicago. The tour is a free, interactive event designed to spark conversations about black beauty among African-American women and a nationally renowned team of celebrities and experts.

The 2009 multicity tour, which launched in Charlotte, NC, and then traveled to Atlanta, GA, features panel discussions led by actress Tasha Smith, from Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?" and "Daddy's Little Girls." The panel also includes actress Angela Bassett, comedian/actress Sheryl Underwood and other notable celebrities and beauty and health experts. The event will also include a variety of beauty and health activities for attendees to enjoy. The Chicago My Black is Beautiful tour event takes place at the University of Illinois at the Chicago Forum in the Main Hall, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd., on Saturday, May 30, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tour attendees are invited to participate in a combination of activities to celebrate the My Black is Beautiful campaign, a nationwide movement aiming to ignite and support a national conversation by, for and about black women and the way they are reflected in popular culture. The initiative includes:

  • My Black is Beautiful 2009 multicity tour, free and open to the public
  • A show airing May 17, 2009; June 7, 2009; and June 21, 2009, on BET Networks highlighting African-American women and beauty
  • A national "State of Black Beauty" 2009 consumer survey, which includes recent results pointing to Michelle Obama's role as First Lady and her effect on African-American beauty perceptions
  • A Web site — www.myblackisbeautiful.com — with a downloadable "Discussion Guide" offered to assist African-American women in starting their own conversations about black beauty within their circle of family and friends

The Chicago main event features musical performances by Lalah Hathaway and Eric Roberson, and includes a keynote address by celebrity wellness coach and actress A.J. Johnson. Johnson, along with actress Angela Bassett, songstress Lalah Hathaway and comedian/actress Sheryl Underwood, will also lead attendees in discussions about beauty, healthy living and more with Tasha Smith serving as the moderator. In addition, P&G will host the My Black is Beautiful "Pioneer Women" awards ceremony honoring local community women making strides in education, beauty, health and the community.

In addition to musical interludes and dialogue sessions, the tour includes a health and wellness pavilion offering complimentary yoga sessions and health screenings, along with cultural exhibits and a beauty-themed area consisting of makeup consultations by a team of CoverGirl® Queen Collection beauty experts; mini-facials and skin analysis offering by Olay® Definity; full hair services and analysis by Pantene® Pro-V® Relaxed & Natural; hair color applications by Clairol®; and oral consultations and screenings by Crest® Pro-Health™.

"P&G is thrilled to bring the second annual My Black is Beautiful tour to Chicago," said Kisha Mitchell Williams, P&G Multicultural Brand Manager. "Chicago's first settler was an African-American man, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable; we cannot think of a more appropriate location to bring, over 200 years later, an event created to spark the conversation around African-American women and health, positive self-esteem and beauty. Our hope is that this year's event will contribute to continuing the conversation among African-American women about how they are viewed and perceived in society."

The My Black is Beautiful campaign, created by a group of African-American women at P&G in 2006, is an integrated, multi-brand initiative supported by Crest Pro-Health, Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural, CoverGirl Queen Collection, Olay Definity, Always® and Tampax® and Clairol Beautiful Collection®.

For more information about the My Black is Beautiful campaign and multicity tour, visit www.myblackisbeautiful.com.

About My Black is Beautiful

My Black is Beautiful celebrates the diverse collective beauty of African-American women and encourages black women to define and promote their own beauty standard, one that is an authentic reflection of their indomitable spirit. My Black is Beautiful kicked off a 2009 four-city tour in Charlotte, NC, in April. The next My Black is Beautiful tour event is scheduled to take place in: New Orleans (July 3 - 5, 2009).

About Procter & Gamble

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always, Whisper®, Pantene, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay, Head & Shoulders®, Wella, Gillette® and Braun. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide.

Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About the 2009 "State of Black Beauty Survey"

The "State of Black Beauty Survey" was fielded January 12 to 13, 2009. Respondents to the survey were African-American women, ages 18 to 54 (sample 1,000+), who responded to a self-administered online survey that explored their knowledge and attitudes toward perceptions of African-American beauty and the effect that has occurred on their perceptions post-election. Respondents were self-selected.

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