Lola McShaw
Cosmetology I with Ms.Hart
Black History Month Essay
Madam C.J. Walker was an African American Businesswoman and entrepreneur who
created a company that produced products for women of color. Unknowingly this company
would lead her to becoming the first Self-Made Female Millionaire. Madam C.J. Walker became
an inspiration to many black women through teaching them to promote her business as well as to
empower them into businesses of their own.
She was given the name Sarah Breedlove at birth but after a situation where a young
woman named Annie Malone accused her of stealing her formula Sarah decided to take her
husbands full name but with abbreviation; Madam C.J. Walker. After the controversy with
Malone, Madam C.J. Walker knew she would have to really put her business out there to become
known. She went salon to salon to sell her products to women. She also held massive parties in
her home where she would give out her products for free! Walker always had people left and
right telling her that she couldn’t make her dreams come true and one things for sure those words
never made her give up they pushed her to want it more and luckily becoming the first black
female millionaire proved them wrong.
Her personal life and love for her family was something that drove her to
succeed. After the emancipation proclamation was signed Sarah was the last child in
her family to be freed. She got married very young and had her daughter A’Lelia in
that marriage. Her second marriage was the one that pushed her to revolutionize
haircare in the black community. Her husband helped her with marketing, selling, and
advertising her company, but sooner or later her husband realized she was married to
her work and divorced her. Madam C.J. Walker took her pain and poured into her love
for her work.
She developed her “Walker” system method which was simple and entailed
scalp preparation, lotions, and iron combs. She created a pomade which became one of
her biggest successes. She sold her products directly to Black women by using a
personal approach that caused her customers to become very loyal. She opened her
own salon which was named after her daughter which eventually brought in more and
more people each day. Now in the 21 st century you can still find her products. While
Lola McShaw
Cosmetology I with Ms.Hart
Black History Month Essay
doing my research months ago I found that a distant family member who worked in
haircare decided to pay her homage and put her brand back on the shelves at Sephora!
The decision to put in effort in what she loved would lead her to make millions
and prove to world but especially me that with hard work and integrity you can do
what you love no matter what you look like. Madam C.J. Walker is still an inspiration
to all women of color in the cosmetology business. She is someone I am proud to say I
look up too in this community because of the legacy she left for girls who want the
same thing. It’s amazing that even in the time she lived in she proved repeatedly that
all people can be powerful and get success, if you work for it.