What does it take to go from poverty and orphanhood to becoming America's first female self-made millionaire? We're about to dive into that incredible question as we explore the life and legacy of Madam C.J. Walker. Born Sarah Breedlove in the challenging era of post-Civil War Louisiana, Madam Walker wasn't just a business titan; she was a dynamo, demonstrating unparalleled resilience, innovation, and determination. But her story extends far beyond personal triumph. Madam Walker was a dedicated philanthropist, committed to using her considerable earnings and later her estate to empower others. We'll unpack her profound generosity and connect it to the inspiring giving practices of today's richest Black women, revealing how affluent individuals, particularly women, are shaping society through their values and strategic giving. Yet, here's the crucial takeaway: you don't have to be 'affluent' to create a ripple effect of positive change. We'll discover how every one of us is connected, and how even the smallest acts of kindness and contributions to community well-being hold immense power.
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We’ve set the stage for Madam C.J. Walker's remarkable rise, but to truly understand her triumph, we must first journey into the crucible of her early life. Sarah Breedlove, as she was born, entered the world in Delta, Louisiana, in 1867 – the very first of her sharecropper parents, Owen and Minerva Breedlove's five children, to be born free.
But "free" was a word still heavy with caveats in post-Civil War America, especially for Black families in the South. Let’s picture the landscape: a society reeling from the wounds of war, grappling with the thorny aftermath of emancipation. For the Breedloves, like countless other former slaves, life was a daily struggle in the cotton fields, tied to a system that offered little more than subsistence. Adding to this brutal reality was the pervasive and insidious threat of white supremacy. Groups like the “Knights of the White Camelia” terrorized Black communities in Louisiana, their violence a chilling tool to enforce white control and crush any burgeoning sense of Black freedom.
It was into this volatile world that Sarah, at the tender age of seven, found herself orphaned. The pillars of her young life collapsed, and she moved in with her older sister, Louvinia, and her brother-in-law. Sadly, the sanctuary she sought was not found. The cycle of abuse, a grim legacy passed down through generations, meant her brother-in-law’s home became another battleground. The constant vigilance against external violence from vigilantes was now compounded by a daily struggle for safety within her own walls.
At just 14, Sarah sought an escape, marrying Moses McWilliams. This wasn't merely a union of love, but a desperate bid for liberation – from the back-breaking labor of the cotton fields and, crucially, from the harsh treatment she endured at her brother-in-law's hands. Two years later, in 1885, she welcomed her only child, a daughter she named Lelia, who would later become known as A'Lelia Walker. But even this new chapter brought its own heartaches. After Moses’s death in 1887, a young Sarah, with a two-year-old A’Lelia and precious little money, made the difficult decision to relocate to St. Louis. Here, three of her brothers had established themselves as barbers, offering a glimmer of hope and a semblance of family.
Life in St. Louis was far from easy. Sarah took on grueling work as a laundress and a cook, earning barely more than a dollar a day. Yet, even amidst this relentless toil, her thirst for knowledge and self-improvement burned bright. She seized every opportunity to attend public night school, a testament to her inherent drive. And crucially, she found strength and solidarity within a vibrant community. She joined the influential African Methodist Episcopal Church, a spiritual and social hub that provided a vital network of support.
But personal challenges continued to plague her. Her second marriage, to John Davis, was short-lived, reportedly ending due to his alleged abuse. The emotional toll of these hardships was immense, compounded by the crushing pressure of being the sole breadwinner for her family. Yet, through it all, Sarah Breedlove – the future Madam C.J. Walker – continued to work tirelessly, her unwavering focus on one paramount goal: to give her beloved daughter, A’Lelia, a better life than the one she had known. This relentless pursuit of a brighter future, born from profound struggle, would soon ignite a spark that would change not only her own destiny but the lives of countless others.
It was amidst these personal struggles that the seeds of her extraordinary empire were sown, born directly out of a dilemma affecting countless Black women of her era: hair loss and scalp issues.
Was it the harsh lye soaps used for laundry, the intense heat and steam she endured for hours as a laundress and cook, combined with limited access to proper bathing and hair care? Or was it the prevailing hair care practices of the time, which often involved damaging chemicals and tools, coupled with a lack of products specifically formulated for textured hair? Perhaps it was a combination of all these factors. What is clear is that Sarah, like so many African American women, was experiencing significant hair loss and scalp irritation. This personal challenge, this pressing need, became her profound inspiration.
In 1904, seeking a solution, she began experimenting with a product called “The Great Wonderful Hair Grower,” created by another Black female entrepreneur, Annie Turnbo Malone. Impressed by the formula and eager to delve deeper into the burgeoning world of Black hair care, Sarah became one of Malone’s sales agents. This was her crucial first step into the industry, a period of learning and observation that would prove invaluable.
A pivotal moment arrived in 1905 when Sarah moved to Denver, Colorado. There, she met and married Charles Joseph Walker, a newspaperman whose sharp marketing and advertising expertise would become a cornerstone of her future success. It was then that she truly stepped into her iconic persona, adopting the name we know today: Madam C.J. Walker. With her new name, new insights, and a profound understanding of the needs of Black women, she began to develop and market her own line of hair care products. Her signature approach, the "Walker System," was revolutionary. It wasn't just a single product; it was a comprehensive method involving scalp preparation, specialized lotions, and heated combs, all designed to promote healthy hair growth and styling for Black women.
Armed with an unshakeable tenacity, the beauty education she had gained, and a meager $1.25, Madam C.J. Walker officially launched her own line of hair products, centered around her flagship product, “Madam C.J. Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower.”
Her business acumen and groundbreaking marketing strategies quickly set her apart. Madam Walker didn't just sell products; she sold a vision of self-care, confidence, and opportunity. She traveled extensively, often by herself, demonstrating her products to eager crowds and, critically, recruiting and training a formidable army of sales agents, affectionately known as "Walker Agents." These dedicated women were not merely salespeople; they were beauty consultants, trained to provide treatments, educate customers on hair and scalp health, and spread the gospel of the Walker System. This expanding network of agents became the lifeblood of her growing enterprise, playing an instrumental role in popularizing her products across the nation.
From selling door-to-door, personally teaching Black women how to style and care for their hair, Madam Walker quickly scaled her operation. She launched a successful mail-order business, which allowed her products to reach even wider audiences, transforming her nascent venture into a true empire.
In 1910, following her divorce from Charles Joseph Walker, Madam Walker made another strategic move, relocating her business headquarters to Indianapolis, Indiana. This central location was ideal for streamlining manufacturing and distribution. There, she established the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, a state-of-the-art facility that included a factory, a hair and manicure salon, and crucially, a beauty school dedicated to training her growing legion of agents. By 1917, her visionary company employed several thousand women – an astounding number for the time – serving as sales agents, factory workers, and clerical staff. Indeed, by some accounts, her network of agents swelled to an incredible 40,000 strong. This was more than a business; it was a movement, empowering Black women economically and providing them with dignity and purpose.
Madam C.J. Walker built an unprecedented business, empowering thousands of Black women economically. But her vision stretched far beyond personal wealth. As her incredible fortune grew, so too did her commitment to giving back, transforming her into one of America's most significant philanthropists.
Her generosity was not merely symbolic; it was groundbreaking. When she pledged an astounding $1,000 to fund a new YMCA center within Indianapolis's Black community, it wasn't just a donation – it was a powerful symbol of Black excellence, an undeniable statement of wealth and capability that was virtually unheard of for an African American in that era.
Yet, despite her undeniable success, not everyone in the Black community immediately embraced her. One notable figure, Booker T. Washington, the prominent educator and founder of the Tuskegee Institute, initially overlooked her achievements. In fact, at the prestigious National Negro Business League convention in 1912, Washington attempted to deny Madam C.J. Walker a platform to speak. But Madam Walker, ever the embodiment of resilience, refused to be silenced. With characteristic aplomb, she delivered a powerful retort that has echoed through history:
"Surely you are not going to shut the door in my face. I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. I was promoted to the washtub. From there, I was promoted to the kitchen. And from there, I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground!"
Her words, a direct challenge to the establishment and a proud declaration of her self-made status, resonated deeply. The following year, humbled and perhaps enlightened, Booker T. Washington extended a formal invitation, and Madam Walker became one of the convention's keynote speakers, a testament to her undeniable influence and the sheer force of her personality.
Her philanthropy extended to myriad causes close to her heart. She covered tuition for six African American students at the elite Tuskegee Institute, directly investing in the future of Black education. She was also fiercely active in the burgeoning anti-lynching movement, recognizing the urgent need to combat racial violence and injustice.
In 1917, Madam Walker demonstrated her unique blend of business acumen and social vision by holding the Walker Hair Culturists Union of America convention in Philadelphia. This gathering, which drew 200 of her agents, was more than a business meeting; it became one of the first national conventions of American women in business, a groundbreaking moment for female entrepreneurship and collective power.
Tragically, Madam C.J. Walker's life was cut short. Just prior to her death from kidney failure at the age of 51 in 1919, she made a final, profound philanthropic statement. She revised her will, bequeathing a remarkable two-thirds of her company’s future net profits to charity. Additionally, she left $100,000 to various orphanages, individuals, and educational institutions for youth. To put that sum into perspective, accounting for a century of inflation, that $100,000 would be equivalent to approximately $1.9 million today.
Madam C.J. Walker's legacy endures. Today, you can still find Madam C.J. Walker products, now under the Unilever subsidiary Sundial Brands. And her magnificent 34-room New York mansion, Villa Lewaro, a testament to her success and a symbol of Black achievement, has been acquired by Richelieu Dennis, CEO of Sundial Brands and founder of the New Voices Foundation. His inspiring plan? To transform Villa Lewaro into a think tank and learning institute for Black women entrepreneurs, ensuring that Madam Walker's spirit of innovation, empowerment, and strategic philanthropy continues to uplift and inspire future generations.
as we reflect on Madam C.J. Walker's incredible life, particularly her profound commitment to lifting others, her words resonate with enduring power: "There is no royal flower-strewn path to success, and if there is, I have not found it, for whatever success I have attained has been the result of much hard work and many sleepless nights. I got my start by giving myself a start. So don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. You have to get up and make them for yourselves!"
What she did, in essence, was provide more doorways and lighted paths for people to walk through with their own energies, their own hard work, and yes, their own sleepless nights. That's a legacy that extends far beyond hair care products; it's a blueprint for empowering communities.
Now, in our current national conversation, we hear a lot about billionaires influencing our country’s policies. And let’s be honest, the majority of those voices tend to look very white and very male. This makes it even more crucial to shine a light on the women who have not only shattered norms and pushed through immense challenges to reach the pinnacle of capitalism, a feat so admired by Americans, but also to truly compare and contrast what men and women do with their wealth once they achieve such affluence. Madam C.J. Walker is a shining, early example of how an individual who has achieved so much deeply desires to reach back and enable others to realize their own dreams and potential.
So, let’s ground this discussion in some fascinating data.
According to the 2023 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy, developed in partnership with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, affluent households account for a significant proportion of all charitable giving in the United States. No surprise there, right?
What is perhaps more surprising to some is that their giving is primarily guided by their values and beliefs, not merely by tax write-offs. While a nice perk, the studies consistently show that tax incentives are rarely the main driver for significant philanthropic acts. In fact, if you're a skeptic, consider how many of the truly wealthy claim their fortunes. It's often not through conventional "income" from a paycheck, which is taxed at higher rates, but rather through dividends, real estate, and other income-generating vehicles that aren't subject to the same high tax burdens. So, they don't necessarily need the charitable gift write-off in the way many imagine. But, I digress.
Here’s where it starts to get truly interesting: This U.S. Bank study, and others like it, consistently find that affluent women are remarkably effective at driving positive change through their economic influence and strategic philanthropy. Consider this: Eighty-five percent of affluent household charitable giving decisions were made or influenced by a woman. And it’s not just about financial contributions; significantly more women – 42% compared to 33% of men – spent time volunteering in 2022.
Digging deeper, Charity Compliance Solutions highlights a compelling distinction: In households where the woman’s income is higher, the couple is more likely to give to charities that support basic human needs – think homeless shelters, hungry children, hospitals. However, in households where the man’s income is higher, the couple tends to support religious, youth, international, and combined-purpose organizations, like United Way.
And the trend continues for single individuals: Single women are more likely to give to charity than single men, and they also tend to contribute higher dollar amounts.
When we look at high net worth households – defined as having an annual income of $250,000 or more and $1 million in assets excluding their primary home – they are far more likely to give to nearly every charitable sector and at much higher levels than the general population. In these households, women often cite political or religious reasons for their giving, or because they serve on a board or volunteer for an organization. They're also more likely to give spontaneously in response to a direct need.
Overall, studies consistently concur that women, across all income and age brackets, tend to spread their giving across more organizations and are open to almost any charitable subsector, with the notable exception of sports and adult recreation. They are also generally more likely to give in greater amounts than men. Women also show a distinct preference for collective giving and other collaborative charitable efforts, which is why most people who participate in giving circles are women.
And in our increasingly digital world, our colleagues at the Women’s Philanthropy Institute have found that women give significantly more money online than men. This is particularly evident in campaigns like the annual Giving Tuesday, which takes place the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, where women contribute approximately two-thirds of the total money raised.
These statistics paint a clear picture of women's profound and distinct impact on philanthropy today. And that brings us directly to the incredible contributions of today's richest Black women, who are building upon the legacy forged by pioneers like Madam C.J. Walker…
Now, let's meet some of today's richest Black women, who are not only forging paths of immense economic success but are also profoundly impacting the world through their philanthropy:
Oprah Winfrey
Topping the list of Black billionaires, Oprah Winfrey, with a net worth of $3.1 billion from her extensive media empire, stands as a global icon of empowerment and philanthropy. She channels her considerable wealth through two primary charitable foundations and direct funding to support diverse causes. Her philanthropic footprint spans global humanitarian efforts, dedicated support for youth education through historically Black colleges and universities, and championing girls' education in South Africa, notably through the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also provided significant relief efforts across the United States, including a $13 million commitment to food insecurity and direct aid in her "hometowns" like Chicago and Milwaukee. In 2013, her tireless efforts earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Rihanna
Coming in with a net worth of $1.4 billion, Robyn Fenty, known globally as Rihanna, leveraged her music career into a beauty and fashion empire with Fenty Beauty, co-owned with LVMH. Born in Barbados, her philanthropy is deeply rooted in her home country and the wider Caribbean through the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), named in honor of her grandparents. With a slogan, "A Vision for a Climate-Ready Caribbean," CLF focuses on "climate justice initiatives," helping vulnerable communities "prepare and withstand" natural disasters. Rihanna famously stated, "There is nothing more important than saving lives and making lives better because the purpose is better than me." CLF's impact is significant: their 2021 annual report revealed over $80 million in leveraged grants and $7.5 million distributed in direct grants across seven Caribbean countries. They also supported 83 active partners, including organizations like Black Visions and Movement for Black Lives, as part of their broader efforts to combat racial inequalities.
Sheila Johnson
A newcomer to the billionaire ranks with a net worth of $1.1 billion, Sheila Johnson co-founded the groundbreaking cable network BET in 1979 with her then-husband, Robert Johnson, selling it to Viacom for $3 billion in 2001. Today, she leads the hospitality firm Salamander Collection and holds stakes in three professional sports teams: the WNBA's Washington Mystics, the NBA's Washington Wizards, and the NHL's Washington Capitals. Johnson is a vocal advocate for women's rights, especially in the workplace, and actively supports programs designed to uplift women in leadership positions. She engages with young people through Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, conducting leadership retreats with prominent figures like John Lewis. As a global ambassador for CARE, a leading organization fighting global poverty by empowering women, Johnson states, “Philanthropy is very important to me. It really helps me a lot psychologically to know that I’ve done my fair share of trying to lift others,” especially among minorities. Having experienced "racism at its highest level," she uses her position to encourage active participation in politics, social justice, and equality, driven by a concern for future generations. Her unwavering commitment to serving others underscores her powerful legacy of giving back and driving change.
We've journeyed through the incredible life of Madam C.J. Walker and explored the impactful philanthropy of today's Black women billionaires: Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, and Sheila Johnson. Their stories are not just about immense wealth; they are profound testaments to resilience, vision, and a deep-seated commitment to making the world a better place.
So, what’s the point of all of this for us?
We find ourselves in a new era, it would seem, where ‘entitlement’ programs are in decline, and the philosophy of government support for the disenfranchised is shifting. Our tax dollars may not be channeled in the ways we've come to expect to help those in unfortunate circumstances. And rather than being against a person or policies that seem to be undoing programs we've relied upon, we must now ask ourselves: what are we for?
These remarkable women we've highlighted are all self-made successes. They faced challenges, certainly, but in many ways, they carved out opportunities that were arguably no less daunting than those we face today. In fact, many of them came from far less fortunate upbringings than many of us, dear listeners.
We may not become billionaires, nor even millionaires. And perhaps, for many of us, that isn't the ultimate value we hold. However, we absolutely can make the world a better place for others, and in turn, make the world a better place for ourselves.
I want to leave you with something truly profound from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an excerpt from his book, ‘Ethics for the New Millennium’:
“Through kindness, through affection, through honesty, through truth and justice toward all others we ensure our own benefit. This is not a matter for complicated theorizing. It is a matter of common sense. There is no denying that consideration of others is worthwhile. There is no denying that our happiness is inextricably bound up with the happiness of others. There is no denying that if society suffers, we ourselves suffer. Nor is there any denying that the more our hearts and minds are afflicted with ill-will, the more miserable we become. Thus we can reject everything else: religion, ideology, all received wisdom. But we cannot escape the necessity of love and compassion.”
He goes on to say, “If you cannot, for whatever reason, be of help to others, at least don’t harm them. Consider yourself a tourist. Think of the world as it is seen from space, so small and insignificant yet so beautiful. Could there really be anything to be gained from harming others during our stay here? Is it not preferable, and more reasonable, to relax and enjoy ourselves quietly, just as if we were visiting a different neighborhood? Therefore, if in the midst of your enjoyment of the world, you have a moment, try to help in however small a way those who are downtrodden and those who, for whatever reason, cannot or do not help themselves. Try not to turn away from those whose appearance is disturbing, from the ragged and unwell. Try never to think of them as inferior to yourself. If you can, try not even to think of yourself as better than the humblest beggar. You will look the same in your grave.”
He then gave a short prayer which gives him inspiration, and I think it can also give us hope, inspiration, and a new perspective on what true "wealth" might mean and what we all have to share:
May I become at all times, both now and forever, A protector for those without protection A guide for those who have lost their way A ship for those with oceans to cross A bridge for those with rivers to cross A sanctuary for those in danger A lamp for those without light A place of refuge for those who lack shelter And a servant to all in need.
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