Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)
Madam C.J. Walker. Art by John DeLucca.
Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist.Born December 23, 1867, in a post civil war world, Sarah was the first in her family to be born into freedom. Though now known for her successes and sizeable wealth, Madam C.J. Walker did not have an easy start.
Sarah was orphaned at age seven. Upon her parents' passing she moved in with her older sister, Louvenia, and abusive brother-in-law, Jesse Powell. At age 14 Sarah ran away from home and married Moses McWilliams. Sarah had her only child, Lelia, with Moses. Moses passed away three years later.
Sarah, now a single widowed mother, moved to St. Louis to be closer to her brothers. There she would work as a laundress, go to night school, and marry Charles Joseph “C.J.” Walker. While working under a company selling beauty products, Sarah would also spend time at home experimenting with her own formulas to help treat her own hair and scalp ailments.
As soon as she found a formula that helped with her own issues, Madam CJ Walker started her own company. By 1910, through hard work, lectures, and demonstrations Madam CJ Walkers’ business was booming.As the company grew Madam C.J. Walker would use her company and wealth to help uplift black Americans locally and nationally. Besides providing jobs that were a better alternative to low-paying domestic work jobs, Madam C.J. Walker would also use her power to donate money to scholarships, homes for the elderly, for anti-lynching efforts, and for other uplifting institutions. Before her death she pledged $5,000 (about $77,700 today) to NAACP’s lynching fund. The largest gift from an individual the NAACP ever received.
Upon her passing at age 51 on May 25, 1919, her estate was worth $1 to $2 million, the equivalent to $14 to $30 million today. Considered the first female self-made millionaire in America, Madam C.J. Walker had a busy life. Despite the losses in her life and cruelties of the world, Madam C.J. Walker was able to not only uplift herself and her family, but also those in her community and nationally.
Written by Alex D. Araiza.
