She was born Sarah Breedlove, on December 23rd 1867. She had five siblings, one sister and four brothers. By the age of seven both her parents were dead.
At the age of 14, she married Moses McWilliams . Three years later her daughter, Lelia McWilliams, was born. When Sarah was 20, and Lelia was just 2 years old, Sarah's husband died.
Sarah experienced severe dandruff and other scalp ailments. She developed baldness due to these skin disorders and the application of harsh products like lye that were included in soaps used to cleanse the hair. Because most Americans lacked indoor plumbing, central heating and electricity, they bathed and washed their hair infrequently. Initially she learned about hair care from her brothers, who owned a barber shop in St. Louis.
This led her to become a commission agent selling products for Annie Turnbo Malone, an African American hair care entrepreneur. While working with Annie Malone, she adapted her knowledge of hair and hair products. She moved to Denver to work on her hair care products, and married Charles Joseph Walker, a newspaper advertising salesman. She emerged with the name Madam C. J. Walker, an independent hairdresser and retailer of cosmetic creams. After their marriage Charles Walker provided advice on advertising and promotion, while Madam C. J. Walker trained women to become "beauty culturists" and to learn the art of selling.
She began to teach and train other black women in women's independence, budgeting, and grooming in order to help them build their own businesses. She also gave lectures on political, economic and social issues at conventions sponsored by powerful black institutions(someone who was practically semi-literate herself).
At her death ( May 25, 1919) she was considered to be the wealthiest African American woman in America.
No comments:
Post a Comment