The cosmetic industry has overgrown, making approximately 62 billion dollars in the U.S. alone. There are a lot of people who get their hair straightened daily. Have you ever thought of who are the pioneers of these businesses? Well, madam, C.J Walker is one of the great pioneers, and she invented the technique of straightening kinky hair. Despite being the child of a slave, she manages to become the first black female millionaire as recorded in the Guinness world book of records.
Background
On December 23, 1867, Sarah Breedlove was born, the daughter to two slaves in a plantation in Delta, LA. She became an orphan at the age of 7 and kept toiling in the cotton fields. Sarah lived in her brothers-in-law household for a while, but she decided to escape the abusive environment, she got married to Moses McWilliams at the age of 14. They had a daughter named Lelia before Moses passed on. She then relocated to St. Louis were few of her brothers had taken up as barbers. Faced with the challenge of taking Lelia to school with the few coins she earned as a laundress and cook, she still managed to survive. In 1894, she got married again to John Davis, who was unfaithful and unreliable.
Invention
The unhygienic condition surrounding Sarah and exhaustion made her hair start falling off. There were no indoor plumbing and electricity services; therefore, bathing was part of luxury. She suffered from scalp diseases and horrible dandruff since she did not regularly clean her hair, leaving it vulnerable to pollution, lice, and bacteria. Similarly, many black women were balding at that period, and they had no solution for it.
Sarah discovered the “Great Wonderful Hair Grower” of Annie Turnbo later known as Malone who had a background in chemistry, at the time she had relocated her business to St. Louis. Sarah started using hair products and later became a selling agent. In 1906 she got married again to Charles Joseph (C.J.) after they relocated to Denver. Sarah decided to change her name to “Madam C.J Walker”. Upon learning that black women’s hair suffered in the Rocky Mountains, Sarah got Denver as her perfect target market.
A disagreement between Sarah and Annie Malone made her quit the company and used her knowledge to develop her hair care product. Madam C.J Walker had interacted with many types of cleansing agents as a laundress; thus, she started mixing them to develop a solution for her scalp. She conducted experiments using ointment like Vaseline and Sulphur while adding some perfumes so that the smell could be incredible. Surprisingly, after applying it, she realized it was incredible since her hair began to grow back.
She became a walking advertisement and used the little money she had to bottle her products. Madam C.J. Walkers method was referred to as “Walker System” which included preparation of the scalp, lotion and iron combs. Having the products work on her hair, made advertisement easy since she was a perfect example. Malone accused Sarah of stealing her recipe, but Sarah was too focused, so she continued with her business. The homemade hair products were distributed by Madam C.J Walker using a personal approach that built customer loyalty. Later, she used her customers as sale agents and referred to them as “beauty culturalists.” The hair products included Wonderful Hair Grower, Glossine and Vegetable Shampoo.
Madam C.J Walker opened a beauty school in 1908, and a factory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania named after her daughter. For easier distribution, Madam C.J. walker’s management relocated her business headquarters to Indianapolis in 1910. Further, there was a large population of African American customers. Additionally, her company created employment for over three thousand people who were mainly black women.
Achievements
The success of her business made her live a life far different from the lifestyle she grew in. She became a famous black American who was embraced by the black press. She created employment for black women when job opportunities were limited for them. In the year 1917, Madam Walker started a Hair Culturists Union of America convention. It was the first national meeting of women entrepreneurs in the country held to reward her people and encourage political activism. During these meetings she encouraged women to take part in leadership positions.
Madam C.J Walker had a reputation in philanthropy. She developed clubs for her employees and encouraged them to take part in social responsibility to give back to society. She did not hesitate to give the employees bonuses when they did an excellent job. Women empowerment was her major objective therefore she stipulated in the charter that only women could serve as presidents. Madam C.J Walker offered scholarships to black women at Tuskegee Institute and gave black charities as well.
Death and Legacy
Madam Walker died of hypertension on May 25, 1919, at the age of fifty-one at her country home in Irvington-on-Hudson. She left a legacy of being the first black women entrepreneur who motivates many to date with her financial independence, business success and philanthropy. Before her death, Madam C.J. worked on the Walker Building, an art centre completed in 1927 in Indianapolis. The building is a registered National Historic Landmark and a critical African-American cultural centre.