Madam Walker's Journey To Becoming America's First Black Female Millionaire

Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, had a lasting influence on American history as a pioneering entrepreneur and philanthropist. Her transition from poverty to wealth, combined with her dedication to elevating black women, established her as a transformative figure in the early twentieth century. Walker was the first black self-made millionaire who invented the world's first hair-straightening solution and/or the hot comb and used her success to benefit others as a job creator and philanthropist. 

A Humble Beginning

Born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867, to Owen and Minerva Anderson Breedlove, former slaves who became sharecroppers after the Civil War, Madam Walker's early life was full of hardships. Orphaned at a young age, she and her older sister, Louvenia, worked tirelessly in the cotton fields to make ends meet. At just 14, Walker married Moses McWilliams, seeking an escape from her abusive brother-in-law. When her husband died in 1887, Walker became a single parent to her two-year-old daughter, Lelia (later known as A'Lelia)

Seeking a better life, Walker moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1889, where her brothers worked as barbers. There, she worked as a laundress and cook, finding solace in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she drew inspiration from the success stories of fellow black men and women. Despite facing financial struggles and hair loss, Sarah's determination remained unbroken.

The Turning Point

In 1904, Walker's life took a dramatic turn when she began using Annie Turbo Malone's "The Great Wonderful Hair Grower" and joined Malone's team of sales agents. A year later, she moved to Denver, Colorado, where she married Charles Joseph Walker and launched her line of hair products under the name "Madam C.J. Walker." With just $1.25, she began her journey that would change the course of her life forever.

With the support of her husband, Walker established a mail-order business and expanded her product line. After their divorce in 1910, she moved to Indianapolis and built a factory for her Walker Manufacturing Company. As a champion for black women's economic independence, she established training programmes in the "Walker System" for her countrywide network of licenced sales agents who received high commissions. Walker ultimately employed 40,000 African American women and men across the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. She also established the National Negro Cosmetics Manufacturers Association in 1917.

Walker's business expanded dramatically, with revenues topping $500,000 in her final year of life. Her entire net worth exceeded $1 million, and she had houses in Harlem, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, as well as a mansion in Irvington, New York, known as "Villa Lewaro."

Legacy of Giving Back

As her business flourished, Walker's commitment to philanthropy and social justice grew stronger. She contributed to various causes, including the YMCA and educational initiatives for African American students. Against racial injustice, she became an active supporter of the anti-lynching movement, donating generously to the NAACP's efforts. Before she passed from kidney failure, Walker revised her will, ensuring that two-thirds of her company's future profits would go to charitable causes.