Hair History: "I got my start by giving myself a start"

She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist.

Madam CJ Walker turned herself from a uneducated laborer in farmlands to a self-made entrepreneur, philanthropist and activist.

According to her Offical Website, She was born as Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867 on a Delta, Louisiana Plantation. She later changed her name to Madam CJ Walker after marrying her third husband, Charles Joseph Walker.

When Walker began losing her hair from a scalp ailment in the 1890's, she went to work trying to make her own homemade remedies and cures.

Soon after, she created "Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower," a scalp conditioning and hair healing formula.

She promoted her product and gave demonstrations throughout the country. She also traveled to other countries like Central America and the Caribbean.

As her product and name grew by the early 1900's, she was able to open her very own training school and a hair and manicure salon. Years later she also opened Lelia College in Pittsburgh. This college, named after her daughter was a place where hair stylists or "hair culturists," could get their training.

Madam Walker also was an active contributor to many organizations for African Americans, like the building fund of the "colored" YWCA in Indianapolis, the NAACP's anti-lynching movement and Harlem's Political life.

Madam CJ Walkers life was the key element in the development of a 20th century, self-made businesswoman with cosmetics and black hair-care. She also set the stage for giving back to the community.

According the her official site, she was quoted as saying "I got my start by giving myself a start." Her start to make her own products began a movement to hair products that African American can use.

**This short bio was written by myself, but works cited comes from CJ Walker's Official Website.**