Everyday Hero: Fame finds the hair hat lady
GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WCBD) – You have got to remember Denise, the 'hair hat lady.'
News 2's Brendan Clark brought you her story in January. Denise Washington makes hats and accessories out of synthetic hair, and that hobby has made her famous.
Six of her creations will be on display in the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The story has brought much attention to Denise and her creations.
'Oh yeah, I'm very surprised by it,' she said. 'Everywhere I go people want to take pictures, want autographs. Everybody wants me to be someplace, but I can't be every place at one time, so I have to turn down some things.'
But Denise couldn't turn down one important engagement. She recently received a historical proclamation from the mayor of Georgetown.
'I'm the first African American woman to ever receive two first-time mayor proclamations as the hair hat lady in the city of Georgetown,' Denise explained. 'It felt awesome; I mean, I had tears in my eyes.'
As a self-proclaimed country girl from Nesmith, Denise says her hard work has finally paid off.
'I never dreamed this would happen in a million years,' she said. However, she did want it to happen, and now many other museums are asking for her creations, one of those being the Summerville Museum—a small museum with a big story.
On a third Thursday, the museum had set up a special exhibit in Hutchinson Square to remember Kitty Springs for her work. Officials knew Denise would be a welcome addition as they would both be remembered for their hats.
'I would just like to say thank you to each and everyone for watching the news, watching the media, watching the news, and reading the newspaper. I just want to thank each and everyone for standing by the hair hat lady,' Denise expressed.
Denise also shared that she will soon be a part of a documentary and plans to showcase her hometown of Nesmith, saying it's important never to forget where you came from.
If you have an Everyday Hero, email bclark@wcbd.com or submit it here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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