Madame CJ Walker (1867-1919)

Madame C.J. Walker, also known as Sarah Breedlove, was born to slaves in Louisiana, in 1867. Out of her siblings, she was the first free-born child. Throughout her life, she made money picking cotton and doing housework as a washerwoman. As a young adult, Walker had scalp issues like alopecia and dandruff. Unfortunately, there were few hair care products for Black women. As a result, she launched “Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower,” where she employed and empowered Black women in America, the Caribbean, and Central America. Despite hardships, she became the first female millionaire in America, inspiring many women, entrepreneurs, and people of color.