Born on December 23, 1867, in Delta, Louisiana, Sarah, the sixth child of Owen and Minerva Breedlove, marked a significant moment in her family’s history. Named Sarah at birth, she would later come to be known as Madam C.J. Walker. Sarah’s birth carried symbolic weight, being the first in her family to enter the world following the Emancipation Proclamation’s enactment. Her parents, former slaves turned sharecroppers after the Civil War, navigated the challenges of post-emancipation life.
Tragedy struck Sarah’s life at a tender age. Orphaned by the age of seven, Sarah faced the loss of both her parents within a year. Left under the care of her older sister Louvenia, she sought refuge from her sister’s allegedly abusive husband by marrying Moses McWilliams at the age of 14. Despite her young age, Sarah became a mother to a daughter named Lelia. However, her marital bliss was short-lived as McWilliams passed away when Sarah was only 20 years old, leaving her widowed and facing the harsh realities of life alone.
Sarah’s indomitable spirit led her to relocate to St. Louis, Missouri, with her daughter, seeking solace and opportunity. Working as a laundrywoman, Sarah’s meager earnings failed to deter her ambition. Finding solace and inspiration within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Sarah embraced the teachings and mentorship of her fellow congregants, despite her limited formal education. A subsequent marriage to John Davis at the age of 30 proved fleeting, culminating in divorce eight years later.
Throughout her life, Sarah grappled with hair loss, a common plight among African-American women of her time. Faced with limited options, she turned to products marketed towards Caucasian women, only to find them inadequate for her hair texture. It was through the discovery of Annie Malone’s “The Great Wonderful Hair Grower” that Sarah found a solution, becoming a sales agent for the product.
Driven by her entrepreneurial spirit, Sarah ventured into product development, harnessing her newfound knowledge of chemistry acquired during her employment as a cook in Denver, Colorado. Armed with determination and ingenuity, she experimented with creams and salves to address hair loss and scalp issues, drawing from her personal experiences.
In 1906, Sarah married Charles Joseph Walker, adopting the name Madam C.J. Walker. Armed with a vision and a modest investment of $1.25, she launched her own line of hair care products, embarking on a journey of entrepreneurship. Traveling extensively across the South to promote her products, Madam C.J. Walker’s business flourished, leading her to establish a laboratory and factory in Indianapolis in 1910.
Despite personal setbacks, including her divorce from Charles Joseph Walker, Madam C.J. Walker’s business acumen and philanthropic endeavors propelled her to great heights. With a keen desire to uplift her community, she established the National Negro Cosmetics Manufacturers Association and expanded her business ventures across Central America and the Caribbean.
Tragically, Madam C.J. Walker’s life was cut short by kidney failure and hypertension on May 25, 1919, at the age of 51. Her daughter, Lelia, assumed leadership of her mother’s company, ensuring her legacy endured. Today, Madam C.J. Walker’s contributions to entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and social progress stand as a testament to her enduring legacy as America’s first self-made millionairess.