She was born on December 23, 1867 as Sara Breedlove in Delta, Louisiana to Owen and Minerva Breedlove. Walker did not change her name until she was married for a second time. The CJ in her name came from her husband’s initials for Charles Joseph Walker. After Madam CJ Walker struggled with scalp issues and then lost her hair, she decided to become innovative and creator her own hair growth product.
The most amazing thing about Madam CJ Walker is that she had no formal education, and she had been an orphan since she was only 6 years old. Can you imagine growing up with no parents and no education. A success life was surely stacked against. She was set up for failure, but Walker was no quitter. She always had a strong spirit and passion.
After yellow fever broke out, Madam CJ Walker lost her parents. She then moved with her sister, Louvinia, to Vicksburg, LA. She then became a widow at the young age of 20. However, she pressed on through her trials and tribulations, and became one of the most successful self-made women entrepreneurs.
Her marriage to Charles Joseph Walker did not last after they argued about how to expand the hair product business. Mr. Walker wanted a limited market, while Madam CJ Walker wanted to expand her market. In 1907, she was earning $10 per day in product sales, which was a lot back then. The couple eventually divorced, but her name remained Madam CJ Walker.
She did not stop at the hair growing product. Walker also produced facial and hair care products, and a straightening comb for African American women. Her daughter joined her in her business, which was sold door-to-door in Colorado.
Black History month encourages a look back at the successful lives of George Washington carver, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Wilma Rudolph, and last but not least Mae Jemison.
