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Cosmetics Manufacturer
Madame C. J. Walker who, because of her innovations in the cosmetics business, was to become one of the wealthiest and most famous black women, experienced an early life of poverty and hardship. Born to ex-slave parents in Delta, La., Sarah McWilliams was orphaned at the age of seven, married at 14, and was left a widow with a small child at the age of 20.

Deciding to begin a new life, she traveled to St. Louis and worked as a laundress in order to send her daughter to school. In the 1890s she married Charles J. Walker and, under the name of Madame C. J. Walker, subsequently made famous her new hair-styling formula.

In 1910 she went to Indianapolis to begin the manufacture of her hair preparations, later adding a complete line of toiletries and cosmetics to her products. As her business expanded, she established many Walker schools of beauty culture across the country. In the process, she became the first black woman millionaire.

Before her death in 1919, Madame Walker was well-known for her philanthropic activities: she made large bequests to the NAACP, the YMCA of St. Louis, Tuskegee Institute, and Bethune-Cookman College, and also stipulated in her will that two-thirds of the profits of her company should be given to charitable organizations.

Today, students from several foreign countries come to the United States to receive training at the Walker beauty schools.