Profile: Madame C. J. Walker

Who is Madame C. J. Walker? <insert Jeopardy music here>

She was born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867 to former slave parents in Delta, Louisiana. At the young age of 14, she married Moses McWilliams. She had one daughter, A'lelia, with him before he passed away. In 1906, she married Charles Joseph Walker.

During the 1890s, Sarah started going bald. She tried home-made remedies and store bought products. One of those products was made by Annie Malone who she later worked for. After changing her name to Madame C. J. Walker, she opened up her own hair care line. She started her first beauty school in 1908 and established her first factory in 1910.

Walked became the first female self-made millionaire in the US. She built her business on the Walker Method which included applying Wonderful Hair Grower pomade and using hot combs to straighten hair. She grew her business by building a network of Walker Women who sold the products door-to-door.

Let her story inspire you to not give up. Use your lemons to make lemonade.

Have a blessed weekend!