Madam C.J Walker

Madam C.J. Walker was the first woman in America to become a self-made millionaire. The Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company had a net worth equivalent to ten million dollars today. Born in Louisiana in 1867, she was the first person in her family to be freed from slavery. Earlier in her career, Madam C.J. Walker worked at another hair care company before launching her own. After losing a lot of hair from a scalp disorder, she created her own product called “Madam C.J. Walker’s Wonder Hair Grower”. She had a signature treatment known as the ‘Walker System” that disrupted the hair industry. During this time, many African American women were overlooked by mainstream hair companies. Madam C.J. Walker helped the woman in her community by selling a range of hair care products that were accessible. She would travel to various states to promote her company. Madam C.J. Walker was also known for her philanthropy and activism. She would encourage her employees to donate, awarding them with bonuses for doing so. During this time, jobs for black women were scarce and Madam C.J. Walker made it her mission to hire them. Today, her company still exists under the name Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture. All of her products are exclusively sold at Sephora.