Madame C.J. Walker
By: Lordy-Monica Brisson
Biography
C.J. Walker is the first black woman millionaire in America. Her money came from having a successful line of hair care products.The "Walker System" was developed after seeking treatment for hair loss. Her products were homemade and sold directly to black women.She was born as Sarah Breedlove to Louisiana sharecroppers. At the age of 6 she became an orphan. She was married at 14. Later, she became widowed at 22 with a two-year old daughter. Walker relocated back to St. Louis and worked as a laundress. Black women of her generation followed the patterns of her preliminary years.
Historical Cause and Impact
Losing her hair sought her to search for treatment and that resulted in her starting a hair line. Madame Walker had a talent for self-promotion, which helped her built her thriving enterprise. She aided the black community by funding scholarships for the women attending the Tuskegee Institute. Also, donated respectable amount of money to the NAACP, the black YMCA, and dozen more charities.She paved the way for entrepreneurs of different races to not be afraid and innovate creations that can change the world. Her Manhattan townhouse was a salon for members of the Harlem Renaissance.
Opinions
In my opinion i think that Madame C.J. Walker was an influential and empowered black entrepreneur woman. She overcame her upbringing challenges and worked her way from the bottom to the top. I liked that even though she was rich , it appeared that she still gave donations to important causes. Her business helped employed over three thousand workers. She marked her legacy in the black community and gave women hope of becoming more in life than just a housewife.