100 Entrepreneurs Who Changed The World
29. Madam CJ Walker 1867-1919
“I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground.”
Born Sarah Breedlove, Madam CJ Walker was an American businesswoman and the first female American self-made millionaire. Many Americans did not understand the importance of hair care at the time, and many women lost hair because of poor diets, lax hygiene, or harsh chemicals like lye which were used as soap. Breedlove’s brothers owned a salon, and taught her what they knew after her hair began to fall out. After marrying Charles Joseph Walker and taking his name, Madam CJ Walker began her career as a hairdresser and saleswoman of cosmetic creams. She marketed her products and services towards other African American women, teaching others how to care for hair and even helping some to start their own businesses, all under her company the Madam CJ Walker Manufacturing Company.
