Walker, C. J., Madam, 1867-1919
Variant namesSarah Breedlove was born in Louisiana. She married, had a daughter, A'Lelia, and was widowed at age 20. She moved to St. Louis, where she experimented with preparations to grow and straighten hair and sold them door-to-door. In 1905 she moved to Denver, where she married newspaper man Charles J. Walker. As her business grew, she opened a Pittsburgh office, then moved to Indianapolis in 1910, setting up a factory and beauty school. The business later expanded to include New York offices, where Walker built a mansion. As her wealth grew, Walker invested heavily in real estate and gave to African American charities. A self-made businesswoman, Walker became a national figure and leader, leaving the legacy of a highly successful business founded by blacks to serve black customers.
From the description of Madam C.J. Walker papers, 1910-1980. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 29251551
| Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
|---|---|---|---|
| referencedIn | Nettie J. Asberry Photograph Collection, ca. 1917-1941 | University of Washington Libraries Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Papers of Charlotte Hawkins Brown, 1900-1961 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Madam C.J. Walker papers, 1910-1980. | Indiana Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | People of Indianapolis, 1983 | Indiana University, Bloomington. Center for the Study of History and Memory | |
| referencedIn | Nettie J. Asberry Photograph Collection, ca. 1917-1941 | University of Washington Libraries Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Papers of Charlotte Hawkins Brown, 1900-1961 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Black Americana : miscellaneous collection, ca. 1880-1957 | Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
| Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
|---|---|---|---|
| referencedIn | Homespun Heroines and Other Women of Distinction. | ||
| referencedIn | Lifting as They Climb. | ||
| referencedIn | The 100 Greatest Women of All Time. | ||
| referencedIn | 100 Women Who Shaped World History. |
Filters:
| Place Name | Admin Code | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | LA | US | |
| Irvington-on-Hudson | NY | US |
| Subject |
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| Theater |
| Advertising |
| African American business enterprises |
| African American consumers |
| African American executives |
| African Americans |
| African Americans |
| African Americans |
| African Americans |
| African American women |
| Beauty culture |
| Business records |
| Cosmetics industry |
| Hair preparations |
| Hair preparations industry |
| Occupation |
|---|
| Entrepreneurs |
| Philanthropists |
| Activity |
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Person
Birth 1867-12-23
Death 1919-05-25
Birth 1867
Death 1919
Female
English
