The beauty part

Born in 1867, Sarah Breedlove was a black laundress looking for a way out of poverty. Despite the fact that career opportunities were virtually non-existent for women, Breedlove created a hair conditioner for Negro hair that eased flattening and styling. Like all true entrepreneurs, Breedlove had th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:D&B reports 1993-03, Vol.42 (2), p.52
Main Author: Steck, Robert N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blacks
Breedlove, Sarah (Madame C J Walker) (1867-1919)
Business growth
Company profiles
Cosmetics
Donations
Entrepreneurs
Hair
Hairstyles
Health & beauty aids
History
Self image
Women
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Summary:Born in 1867, Sarah Breedlove was a black laundress looking for a way out of poverty. Despite the fact that career opportunities were virtually non-existent for women, Breedlove created a hair conditioner for Negro hair that eased flattening and styling. Like all true entrepreneurs, Breedlove had the gift of sales and the gift of image making. After taking the name of her 2nd husband, Madam C.J. Walker began selling the full Madam C.J. Walker line by mail order through black magazines. By 1910, in a consolidated facility in Indianapolis, Madam Walker had a factory, a sales training center, research and production laboratories, and a large beauty school. As the first black woman to become a millionaire, Madam Walker was acutely aware of her social obligations, consistently making large donations to the NAACP, the "colored YMCA", and black private schools. Today, the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Co. remains a thriving business in what is now a $600 million market for black beauty products.
ISSN:0746-6110