Discover the Top 11 Astonishing Fun Facts About Madam CJ Walker: The Groundbreaking Entrepreneur!

1. Trailblazing Millionaire Lady Boss

Move over, Oprah! There's another trailblazing millionaire lady boss who's been rocking the wealth and philanthropy game since the early 1900s: Madam CJ Walker, often credited as the first self-made African American female millionaire, grew her haircare empire into a nearly $10 million business (adjusted for inflation) in just 13 years while also actively advocating for Black rights and generously supporting African American causes and institutions.
Source => investopedia.com

2. Queen of Tresses & Philanthropy

Move over, Rapunzel, there's a new Queen of Tresses on the throne: Madam C.J. Walker, a trailblazing entrepreneur, didn't just revolutionize hair care for Black women; she also paid it forward by generously supporting her community. Walker funded Black organizations like the YMCA and the NAACP, and even established scholarships for women at prestige institutes like the Tuskegee Institute. Truly, her hair-raising success extended far beyond the follicle frontier!
Source => 21ninety.com

Did you know the real-life "Moses" was a fearless woman named Harriet Tubman? She led 19 daring trips to free around 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad! Discover her astonishing story 🚂💪🔗

=> Fun Facts about Harriet-Tubman

3. Willy Wonka of Haircare

Move over Willy Wonka; there's a hair-preneur in town: Madam C.J. Walker began her hair care business in St. Louis, expanding it into a vast manufacturing empire in Indianapolis (1910), complete with training schools nationwide, door-to-door saleswomen called Walker agents, and the enviable title of America's first female self-made millionaire.
Source => theclio.com

4. Santa of African American Causes

When Madame CJ Walker wasn't too busy single-handedly pioneering the black haircare industry, she was quite the philanthropist – doling out dollars like Santa does candy canes: Seriously though, Madame CJ Walker generously donated to African American education and social services, and even contributed to organizations like the NAACP so they could continue fighting against heinous crimes like lynching. Her direct and estate gifts were instrumental in helping the NAACP survive the Great Depression.
Source => americanhistory.si.edu

5. Villa Lewaro's Cultural Hub

When the address is 67 Broadway, but the street is filled with jazz, literature, and defiant hairstyling: Villa Lewaro, Madam C.J. Walker's historic residence in Irvington, New York, was a vibrant hub of the Harlem Renaissance, hosting legends such as James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neale Hurston, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Langston Hughes who gathered to discuss, debate and celebrate their achievements in a time of rampant racial prejudice.
Source => savingplaces.org

6. Orphanhood to Hair Icon

Talk about a hair-raising experience: Madam CJ Walker overcame orphanhood and her own hair troubles to attend Malone’s Poro College, eventually concocting her very own “Wonderful Hair Grower” and outshining her follicle-focused competitors.
Source => nmaahc.si.edu

7. Empowering Race & Gender

Who knew that hair care could be so revolutionary and empowering? Madam C.J. Walker's mane agenda was more than just nurturing tresses; she had an exquisite flair for uplifting both race and gender: By leveraging her entrepreneurial success, she became a staunch advocate for civil rights and social justice, fundraising for organizations like the NAACP and Black schools. Even today, her legacy empowers Black women entrepreneurs through the New Voices Foundation and its support fund.
Source => hbr.org

8. Entrepreneurial Rapunzel

If Rapunzel had a secret entrepreneurial sister, it might've been Madam C.J. Walker: As a pioneer in hair care, she created the first line of products for Black and textured hair in America, with her game-changing concoction, Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower, propelling her to become the country's first self-made female millionaire.
Source => glamour.com

9. Company Love Story

You know it's true love when your spouse names a company after you: Madam CJ Walker's enterprise, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing, paid homage to her second husband, Charles Joseph Walker, while also giving a charming tip of the hat to the French beauty industry with the title "Madam".
Source => blogs.loc.gov

10. Comb Out Racism & Sexism

Before "Lean In" became a thing, Madam C.J. Walker told racism and sexism to "Comb It Out": This trailblazing entrepreneur created economic opportunities and empowerment for Black women by making them co-owners of her hair care empire, providing education and fair working conditions, and fuelling activism through supporting the NAACP and fighting against lynching.
Source => hbr.org

11. Dream Team at the White House

Imagine Madam C.J. Walker, the original #BossLady, strutting into the White House like Beyoncé, assembling her very own Dream Team in the early 1900s: That's right – she rallied Harlem leaders to make America flawless by advocating for African American rights. Though President Woodrow Wilson left them on read when it came to discussing lynching and white mob violence as federal crimes, Madam C.J. Walker's fierce commitment to social and political activism for the African American community and women remains irreplaceable.
Source => smithsonianmag.com