Madam C.J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867, in Delta, Louisiana, was a trailblazer who rose from the depths of poverty to become one of the most successful African American businesswomen in history. While she is often hailed as the first female self-made millionaire in the United States, her legacy extends far beyond her wealth. She was a philanthropist, activist, and advocate for the advancement of African Americans, leaving behind a profound impact on both her community and the nation.
A Humble Beginning
Sarah Breedlove’s early life was marked by hardship. The daughter of Owen and Minerva Anderson Breedlove, former slaves who became sharecroppers after the Civil War, she was one of six children. When Sarah was just seven years old, she became an orphan, and was sent to live with her older sister, Louvenia. Together, they worked at the cotton fields of the South, struggling to make ends meet.
At the age of 14, Sarah married Moses McWilliams, in part to escape the abuse from her brother-in-law. They had one daughter, Lelia (later known as A’Lelia), but tragically, Moses passed away in 1887, leaving Sarah to raise their young child alone. This loss marked a turning point for Sarah, and she began to seek a way out of the poverty that had consumed much of her life.
A New Beginning in St. Louis
In 1889, Sarah moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to live with her four brothers, who were barbers. There, she worked as a laundress and cook, struggling to support herself and her daughter. It was during this time that Sarah became involved with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she met prominent African American figures whose success and education inspired her.
Despite the challenges, Sarah was determined to improve her situation. In 1894, she remarried, this time to John Davis. However, the marriage was short-lived, and the couple eventually divorced. Still, Sarah remained focused on finding a way to overcome the obstacles in her path.
The Birth of Madam C.J. Walker
In 1904, Sarah’s life took a pivotal turn. Struggling with hair loss and the physical toll of years of hard labor, she began using “The Great Wonderful Hair Grower,” a product created by African American businesswoman Annie Turbo Malone. Inspired by her results, Sarah joined Malone’s team of sales agents, selling hair care products across the country. This experience sparked Sarah’s entrepreneurial spirit, and she began to dream of creating her own line of hair products for African American women.
In 1905, Sarah moved to Denver, Colorado, where she married advertising man Charles Joseph Walker. It was here that she rebranded herself as Madam C.J. Walker, launching her own hair care product line, “Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower,” with just $1.25 in her pocket. With the help of her husband, who handled advertising and established a mail-order business, her new venture took off.
Building an Empire
After her divorce from Charles in 1910, Madam C.J. Walker relocated to Indianapolis, where she built a factory for her growing company, the Walker Manufacturing Company. In addition to manufacturing hair products, she also developed a training program for her network of sales agents, which she called the “Walker System.” The business model empowered African American women by providing them with job opportunities and financial independence. By the end of her life, Walker had employed over 40,000 people across the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean.
As her business grew, so did her wealth. Sales of her products exceeded $500,000 in the final year of her life, and her net worth surpassed $1 million. Madam C.J. Walker’s success allowed her to purchase a mansion in Irvington, New York, named “Villa Lewaro,” as well as properties in Harlem, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.
Philanthropy and Activism
Despite her immense success, Madam C.J. Walker never forgot her roots. She was deeply committed to giving back to the African American community. She donated generously to causes that supported black education and advancement. Walker funded scholarships for six African American students at Tuskegee Institute, contributed to the YMCA, and became actively involved in the anti-lynching movement. In 1917, she donated $5,000 to the NAACP to support its efforts to combat racial violence and injustice.
Walker’s commitment to activism was also reflected in her will, which she revised shortly before her death. She bequeathed two-thirds of her future net profits to charity, ensuring that her wealth would continue to benefit African American communities for years to come.
A Lasting Legacy
Madam C.J. Walker’s journey from poverty to prosperity is a testament to her vision, resilience, and determination. She not only became one of the wealthiest African American women of her time, but she also used her success to uplift others, particularly African American women, by creating job opportunities and advocating for social change. Today, her legacy lives on through the Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture brand, which continues to inspire entrepreneurs and businesswomen around the world.
Media Portrayals of Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker’s remarkable life has inspired numerous portrayals in the media, showcasing her legacy across various platforms.
TV Series: Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
In 2020, actress Octavia Spencer took on the role of Madam C.J. Walker in the Netflix series Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. The series, based on ‘On Her Own Ground’, the biography written by Walker’s great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles, depicted Walker’s journey from poverty to becoming a self-made millionaire. While Spencer’s performance was praised, the series received mixed reviews. Critics pointed out several inaccuracies in the storyline, which blurred the line between biography and fiction. Among the main criticisms were the fictionalized portrayal of Annie Malone as the villainous Addie Monroe and the depiction of Walker’s daughter, A’Lelia, as a lesbian—elements that were not part of the historical record. A’Lelia Bundles herself addressed these issues in her article Netflix’s Self-Made Suffers from Self-Inflicted Wounds, where she discussed the challenges of producing the series while remaining true to her family’s history.
Documentary: Two Dollars and a Dream
Madam C.J. Walker’s life was also the subject of the 1987 documentary Two Dollars and a Dream, directed by Stanley Nelson. The film, the first to offer a cinematic portrayal of Walker’s achievements, provided an in-depth look at her journey to success. As the grandson of Freeman B. Ransom, Walker’s attorney and general manager of the Walker Company, Nelson had exclusive access to original Walker business records and interviews with former Walker Company employees. This documentary remains an important historical account of Walker’s life and business, preserving the details of her legacy for future generations.
Her story is one of perseverance, innovation, and generosity, and her impact on both business and society remains an enduring source of inspiration.
Here are a few facts about C.J. Walker:
- Walker received only three months of formal education, learning to read and write through Sunday school literacy lessons.
- At the time of her death, she was worth between $500,000 and $1 million, making her the wealthiest African American woman in America.
- In 1917, she had Villa Lewaro, a $250,000 mansion, built along the Hudson River in Irvington, New York.
- A museum in Atlanta, dedicated to Walker, is located at the site of a former Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Shoppe.
- In 1993, Walker was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.
- The U.S. Postal Service issued a Madam C.J. Walker commemorative stamp in 1998 as part of its Black Heritage Series.
- In 2022, Mattel released a Madam C.J. Walker Barbie doll as part of their Inspiring Women doll collection.