Madam J Walker Biography

Imagine growing up on a cotton plantation to former slaves in Delta, becoming an “orphan at the age of 7, becoming a wife at the age of 14, a mother at 17 and a widow at 20?” This all describes the early life of Sarah Breedlove, better known as Madam C.J Walker. “She supported her family by washing laundry and she used her earning as a laundress to pay for her daughter’s education at Knoxville College” .In 1889, Madam C.J Walker moved to St. Louis in search of a better future. She worked as “a saleswoman for a black hair-care entrepreneur named Annie Turnbo Malone who employed black women to sell her products door-to-door. After experiencing severe hair loss herself, Walker experimented with her own hair formulas” . Madam Walker

Her business quickly expanded around many areas. “When Walker transferred her business operations to Indianapolis, the Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company had become wildly successful, with profits that were the modern-day equivalent of several million dollars.” Madame C.J Walker was clearly an empowering woman. “Walker was as generous as she was successful, establishing a network of clubs for her employees and offering bonuses and prizes to those who contributed to their communities through charitable works. She promoted female talent” Madame Walker was setting a great example to the woman and to African Americans. Not only was Madame Walker a great entrepreneur, she was also part of many political contributions. “She became a strong advocate of Black women’s economic independence and her personal business philosophy stressed economic independence for all women.” We can observe how she used her wealth and her indulging words to make a change in the