Madam C.J. Walker Stories

Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 in Delta Louisiana, where her parents and elder siblings were enslaved, Madam C.J. Walker went on to become a cosmetics and business pioneer, developing beauty and hair products for black women. In the course of her work, Madam Walker trained nearly 23,000 sales agents and workers, serving customers in the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Recognized by the Guinness Book of Records for being America’s first self-made female millionaire, her achievements become even more impressive in the face of racial challenges of 20th-century America. Learn more about Madam Walker and her legacy through this story collection.

All 10 stories

This May, our Preservation Month theme is “People Saving Places” to shine the spotlight on everyone doing the work of saving places—in big ways and small—and inspiring others to do the same!

Celebrate!