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C.J. Walker became a great role model for Ladies in Leadership, with her empowering story of building an empire.
Madam C.J. Walker’s story is one of the most highlighted stories for the role she played with influencing women empowerment, especially with African American women. She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist for equal rights. How was she able to raise the voices of African American women in the 19th century? Through her aspirations in becoming a successful businesswoman to start with.
Walker became an orphan at the age of seven because her parents were slaves during this time but due to the emancipation proclamation, she was able to be freed. She married young at the age of fourteen to a man named, Moses McWilliams whom they shared a daughter. When Walker became twenty, she lost her former husband and raised her daughter alone. Despite having to go through the difficulties of being a woman and raising a child alone during the 1800’s, Walker still managed to work during the day and attend night school. However, later on in her life she met and married someone by the name of Charles J. Walker, who would support her and share her visions of being successful.
C.J. didn’t plan on creating the business that would soon become her legacy. She first came up with the idea of selling hair care products for Black women because she had a scalp disorder that caused her to lose a lot of her hair. Today, hair products that are targeted for black women go unacknowledged and are not promoted as much as hair products for white women are. Many hair products in the 21st century is mostly made for white women, so to think about how there isn’t very many products for black women today. The amount in the 19th century was even slimmer than today’s hair care products.
After Walker dealt with her hair loss she was able to develop the “Walker system”, which involved separating one’s scalp, assorted lotions and iron combs. Women from all over her town heard of the success of her hair care system and wanted aid with their hair needs as well. Many companies at the time that sold hair care products for black women, were white owned businesses, but she was different from their business because she emphasized the significance of the health of her clients and aiding to their confidence. This mission lead her to build up her business.
As a nonprofit for women, HBICHQ’s dedication is to see more Women Owned Businesses drive our future.
Our charitable programs, funded by donations & sponsors, support women-identified persons who are survivors of domestic abuse or homelessness, former foster youth, or have faced other adversities.
We pledge to achieve our mission by empowering entrepreneurship and providing charitable programs focusing on professional and personal development for these women-identified individuals.
Sources:
History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). Madam C. J. Walker. Retrieved January 27, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/madame-c-j-walker
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