Summary
Joan Anderson, who helped popularize the hula hoop by naming it after the Hawaiian dance, passed away at the age of 101. Anderson noticed the hoop craze in Australia, brought the idea to the U.S., and worked with a toy company that made it a huge success. Despite her role, she and her husband did not receive full recognition.
Key Facts
- Joan Anderson came up with the name "hula hoop" based on the Hawaiian dance.
- She first saw people using wooden hoops in Australia and brought the idea to the U.S.
- Anderson and her husband shared the idea with a toy company, Wham-O, in the early 1960s.
- The hula hoop became a huge success, selling millions.
- Anderson and her husband later filed a lawsuit for recognition, receiving a small settlement but no formal credit.
- Accounts of the hula hoop's invention often omitted her contribution, inaccurately describing her as just an "Australian friend."
- Joan Anderson was born in Sydney, Australia, and passed away in Carlsbad, California.
