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Madam C. J. Walker
Sign in to saveAlso known as Sarah Breedlove, Sarah Breedlove Walker, Madam C.J. Walker
American entrepreneur (1867-1919)
Key facts
- Born
- Sarah Breedlove , ( 1867-12-23 ) December 23, 1867, Delta , Fifth Military District ( Louisiana ), U.S.
- Died
- May 25, 1919 (1919-05-25) (aged 51), Irvington, New York , U.S.
- Resting place
- Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)
- Occupations
- Businesswoman hair care entrepreneur philanthropist activist
- Known for
- Founder of Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company
- Spouses
- Moses McWilliams ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1882 ; died 1887 ) John Davis ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1894 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 1903 ) Charles Walker ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1906 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 1912 )
- Children
- A'Lelia Walker
- Relatives
- A'Lelia Bundles (great–great granddaughter)
- Website
- madamcjwalker .com
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Given name
- Sarah
- Gender
- female
- Citizenship
- United States
- Place of birth
- Delta
- Place of death
- Irvington
- Child
- A'Lelia Walker
- Occupation
- entrepreneur
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Image
- Madam C. J. Walker by Addison N. Scurlock.jpg
Show 6 more facts
- place of burial
- Woodlawn Cemetery
- Commons category
- Madam C. J. Walker
- date of birth
- 1867-12-23
- date of death
- 1919-05-25
- ethnic group
- African Americans
- Commons Creator page
- Madam C. J. Walker
Sources (6)
via Wikidata · CC0
~21 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Madam C. J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919), Mrs. Charles Joseph Walker upon her third marriage, was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. Walker is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. Multiple sources mention that although other women (like Mary Ellen Pleasant) might have been the first, their wealth is not as well-documented.
Walker made her fortune by developing and marketing a line of cosmetics and hair care products for Black women through the business she founded, Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Walker became known also for her philanthropy and activism. Walker made financial donations to numerous organizations such as the NAACP and became a patron of the arts. Villa Lewaro, Walker's lavish estate in Irvington, New York served as a social gathering place for the African-American community. At the time of her death, Walker was considered the wealthiest African-American businesswoman and wealthiest self-made Black woman in America.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Madam C. J. Walker” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.