Madam C. J. Walker | |
|---|---|
 Walker c. 1914 | |
| Born | Sarah Breedlove December 23, 1867 |
| Died | May 25, 1919 (aged 51) Irvington, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) |
| Occupations |
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| Known for | Founder of Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company |
| Spouses |
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| Children | A'Lelia Walker |
| Relatives | A'Lelia Bundles (great–great granddaughter) |
| Website | madamcjwalker |
Madam C. J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records.[1] Multiple sources mention that although other women (like Mary Ellen Pleasant) might have been the first, their wealth is not as well-documented.[1][2][3]
Walker made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women through the business she founded, Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company. She became known also for her philanthropy and activism. She made financial donations to numerous organizations such as the NAACP, and became a patron of the arts. Villa Lewaro, Walker's lavish estate in Irvington, New York, served as a social gathering place for the African-American community. At the time of her death, she was considered the wealthiest African-American businesswoman and wealthiest self-made black woman in America.[4] Her name was a version of "Mrs. Charles Joseph Walker", after her third husband.
- ^ a b "First self-made millionairess". Guinness World Records. May 25, 1919. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Bundles, A’Lelia (2020). "Madam C.J. Walker: A Brief Biographical Essay". www.madamcjwalker.com. Official Website of Madam C.J. Walker. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Gates, Henry Louis; Root, Jr | Originally posted on The (November 15, 2013). "Madam Walker, the First Black American Woman to Be a Self-Made Millionaire | The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross | PBS". The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Glaeser, Edward (2011), Triumph of the City: How Our Best Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier, New York: Penguin Press, p. 75, ISBN 978-1-59420-277-3