Netflix recently released a new mini series biopic on the infamous Madam C.J. Walker. Previous to this release, the name sounded familiar but I was not fully aware of the enormous scale of accomplishments that this woman had done for the black hair community, specifically for women. In today’s blog post, I will share the life and legacy of Madam C.J. Walker, the first ever black woman millionaire in America.
Born Sarah Breedlove, Madam C.J. Walker grew up on the cotton plantation her parents were once enslaved on, in Delta, Louisiana in 1867. She was the fifth child of her parents Owen and Minerva, and was the first freed person of her family. After the death of her parents in 1874, Sarah went to live with her sister and brother-in-law in Mississippi, where she spent her time being employed to pick cotton and do house chores.
By the young age of 14, Sarah married man named Moses Williams, with whom she soon after had her first daughter, A’Lelia.
Two years after the birth of her first born, Moses died, causing Sarah to move to St. Louis where she worked as a washerwoman, making $1.50 a day. Soon after moving to St. Louis, Breedlove met her husband, Charles J. Walker, who later was a major proponent of her hair care company.
During the 1890’s, Sarah developed a disorder in her scalp that caused her hair to fall out at a fast rate. In an attempt to curb the rate of hair loss, Sarah tried all types of remedies to try and facilitate her hair growing back. After much research and trial and error, she created the “Walker System” for hair care. This process targeted black women who desired hair growth and repair. The system consisted of scalp preparation, lotion and iron combs, and made a clear distinction from other products, by promoting it as helpful for overall health.
Her idea exploded, with her original pomade being a huge success. When selling to customers, Sarah made such an impression, she continuously built a market of loyal customers from the start. She eventually hired a group of women to help sell her hair products, labeled the “beauty culturalists”.
Once Walker’s company started to take off, she and her husband moved to Denver, Colorado with $1.05 in her bank account, to create the Madam C.J. Walker Company, where she sold products like Wonderful Hair Grower, Glossine and Vegetable Shampoo. She started to advertise and send mail orders, while also starting to accumulate a mini fortune.
In 1908, following the divorce of her husband, Walker opened up a beauty school and factory in Pittsburgh, PA. Two years later she her main headquarters to Indianapolis, since there was a bigger market for black women’s hair products and railroad tracks to assist with distribution. Over the course of the peak of the Madam C.J. Walker Company, Walker employed over 3,000 people, most of them being black women who sold the products door-to- door.
The legacy of the Madam C.J. Walker Company started even during the peak of it all, as black reporters and communities embraced Walker with open arms of support. Her success was shown in her change of her lifestyle. Walker was living in lavish homes, while also building her legacy through her philanthropic work. She donated to many organizations that promoted and fought for black people like the NAACP, the Tuskegee Institute, black YMCA and many more. She will always be remembered as the first of many generations of black female entrepreneurs who inspire us all with their bouts of financial independence, business acumen and philanthropy.
Source:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker
Janae, I really enjoyed reading your blog. While I had never heard of Madam C.J. Walker before now, it was interested to learn about her life, from her terrible disorder to her savvy entrepreneurship skills. I am impressed that she was able to develop a flawless system and for black hair care as I’m sure it had a huge impact on the lives of many black women. Not only this, but I find it inspiring that she donated some of her wealth from her success to philanthropic organizations such as the NAACP and the Tuskegee Institute.
I think our generation is so lucky to live during a time where we can learn about things that we might not have otherwise learned about in school. I find it so school that not only did she figure out a way to repair her hair but also she made these products for other women to use.