Madam C.J. Walker
Self-Made Millionaire
Life
Madam C.J. Walker was born on December 23, 1867 in Delta, Louisiana. She was originally born Sarah Breedlove, but changed her name later on in her life. Madam C.J. Walker was orphaned at seven. She went to go live with her sister, but ran away from her brother-in-law's cruel treatment. Madam C.J. Walker's first husband was Moses McWilliams. She married him when she was fourteen and had a daughter with him when she was eighteen. She was widowed at twenty and married another man, Charles J. Walker. He had knowledge in advertising and helped her advertise her product. In 1912 she divorced Charles. She died May 25, 1919 in New York, New York of hypertension. She was fifty-one years old. Madam C.J Walker left her daughter one-third of her money and gave the rest of her money to charities.
Owen and Minerva Breedlove
Owen and Minerva Breedlove were the parents of Madam C.J. Walker. They were former slaves, but were emancipated by the time they had her. They both died by the time she was seven.
A'Lelia Walker
Madam C.J. Walker and Moses McWilliams, Madam C.J. Walker's husband had a daughter named A'Lelia Walker. She was born June 6, 1885. A'Lelia helped her mother with the hair product business.
Career
When Madam C.J. Walker was thirty, she had a scalp disorder that caused her to loose her hair. She began to create her own products to try to cure it. She finally found a product that helped her with her hair loss and began experimenting with more products. Madam C.J. Walker began to sell her new products and soon she began to have so much success that she opened a factory. Madam C.J. Walker also opened a beauty school to teach young ladies about the importance of hair care. Soon enough, she became the first African American women millionaire!
Madam C.J. Walker donated money to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), National Conference on Lynching, and many other organizations. She also made the biggest contribution to the construction of an Indianapolis YMCA. Madam C.J. Walker even paid for students scholarships to go to Tuskegee University.
Bibliography
"Biography.com Editors. Madam C.J. Walker Biography. n.d. 3 May 2016." http://www.biography.com/people/madam-cj-walker-9522174
"History.com. Madame C.J. Walker. n.d. 3 May 2016." http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker
"Podesta, James. Walker, Madame C.J. 1867-1919. n.d. 3 May 2016. http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Madam_C_J_Walker.aspx
"n.a. Madame C.J. Walker Biography. n.d. 3 May 2016." http://www.notablebiographies.com/Tu-We/Walker-Madame-C-J.html