Black History Month 2010: Black Economic Empowerment Featured Individual, Madam C.J. Walker

Sarah Breedlove was born in Delta, Mississippi, on December 23, 1867. She was the fifth child of Owen and Minerva Breedlove, but the first to be born free. After her birth, the Breedloves had one more son. Young Sarah had one older sister, three older brothers, and one younger brother. The family did not live together for long, as both parents died when Sarah was seven. After the death of her parents, she lived with her older sister, Louvenia, working in the cotton fields near Delta and Vicksburg. At fourteen she married, at least partly to escape what had turned into a bad situation with Louvenia's abusive husband.

There were no public schools for black children in Mississippi when Sarah was a girl. She may have received some instruction at church in Delta, but most of her education came later in life through the assistance of friends she met in St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis became her home after first husband died in 1887. She moved there with her young daughter, Lelia, to live near her four brothers who had all become barbers, one of the main businesses where black men met with early success after emancipation.

While Sarah lived in St.Louis she became involved in trying hair care products for black women, eventually selling some in Denver for Annie Malone, another African American entrepreneur. Sarah developed a condition that caused hair loss, and while she was searching for a cure she claimed the formula was revealed to her in a dream. The formula became "Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower". It was the manufacture, sale and application instruction for Madame Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower that made a millionaire of this orphan of slaves whose life began in the cotton fields of Mississippi.

In 1905 Sarah married Charles James Walker and began calling herself Madam C.J. Walker. It was good for her product and good for business. For several years she promoted her business throughout the south and southeast, and in 1908 started a school for "hair culturists" in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Madam C.J. Walker moved the business to Indianapolis in 1910. It was in Indianapolis where she started a factory, hair salon and a second school Her business continued to grow and her sales agents, hair culturists and factory workers all reaped the benefit of her success. She encouraged members of her organization to become active politically. Madam Walker spoke often at meetings for business and political organizations and gave generously of her wealth to various political and social causes.

During an era when black men and women were facing great difficulties, Madam C.J. Walker built an economic empire which she shared with as many as 40,000. She empowered herself, and then empowered many others. She led the way as an example of banding together in order to advance economically. Her products were made, sold, bought, and used by African Americans. Madam C.J. Walker died in 1919.

Annotated Sources:

1. The Official Web Site, Madam C.J. Walker 1867-1919: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Social Activist.
This web site is by far the best source on the internet. It is owned by A'Lelia Bundles, great-great grandaughter and biographer of Madam C.J. Walker. Three invaluable areas of information on are: "FAQs", "Students and Teachers", and "BIOS". If you check the bibliography and sources found on this site, you will be able to do research on almost any level.

2. On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'Lelia Bundles (Scribner/A Lisa
Drew Book, February 2001). This is the definitive biography on Madam C.J. Walker. It is widely available at bookstores, online booksellers and through Kindle.

3. Madam C.J. Walker--Entrepreneur by A'Lelia Bundles (Chelsea House, 1991). This is a Young Adult
Biography, and the first full length book on Walker.

4. Vision of Beauty by Kathryn Lasky (Candlewick Press, 2000). An elementary level biography that
is part of the Accelerated Reader program.

5. Madam C.J. Walker: Pioneer Businesswoman by Marian W. Taylor (Chelsea House, 1994). Elementary
biography.

6. Madam C.J. Walker: Self-Made Millionaire by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack (Enslow Publishers,
1992). Elementary biography.

7. Mystery of the Dark Tower by Evelyn Coleman American Girl History Mysteries (Pleasant Company
Publications, 2000). Elementary biography