First African American Entrepreneur: Madam C.J. Walker and Beyond

Madam C.J. Walker is often credited as the first self-made female millionaire in America, but she wasn't the only pioneering African American entrepreneur. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she built a business empire in the early 20th century by creating and marketing hair care products for African American women.

She started with a loan of just $1.50 and a dream to succeed. Madam Walker's rags-to-riches story is a testament to her hard work and determination. She traveled the country, selling her products and offering advice on hair care, which helped her gain a loyal customer base.

Madam Walker's legacy extends beyond her business success. She was a generous philanthropist, donating to various causes, including the NAACP and the Tuskegee Institute.

Madam C.J. Walker was a pioneering African American entrepreneur who left a lasting impact on the business world. She was the first American woman to become a self-made millionaire.

Born into a family of entrepreneurs, Madam C.J. Walker was no stranger to hard work and determination. She married Charles Joseph Walker, a newspaper man, and together they founded the Madam C.J. Walker Company.

Madam C.J. Walker's business acumen led her to create a line of hair products for African American women, including her famous "Wonderful Hair Grower" formula. This product was a scalp conditioning and healing formula that she sold door-to-door and gave demos at churches.

With her husband's help, Madam C.J. Walker created advertisements that touted the benefits of her products, including testimonials from satisfied customers. One such ad read: "You have made it possible for a Black woman to make more money in a day selling your products than she could get a month working in somebody's kitchen."

Madam C.J. Walker's business boomed, and she created opportunities for other Black women by hiring them as sales agents and devising strategies for them to increase their profits. She also established Madame C.J. Walker Laboratories to manufacture cosmetics and train sales beauticians.

Madam C.J. Walker's philanthropic endeavors were just as impressive as her business skills. She donated toward the construction of an Indianapolis YMCA in 1913, leaving a lasting legacy in her community.

Annie Malone was a millionaire entrepreneur who preceded C.J. Walker in the hair care industry, and she's often overlooked.

Malone copyrighted her products and gained a wide audience with press conferences and touring the country, recruiting women to sell her Poro hair care products.

She's also credited with creating a same-day service system for mail order, which was a new concept in the snail mail era.

Malone's legacy extends beyond business, as she helped fund African American organizations, including orphanages and Howard University's medical school.

O.W. Gurley was a successful entrepreneur who founded Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma's Greenwood District, and owned about 100 of the city's 600 businesses at the time.

Gurley's businesses included a grocery store, apartment buildings, a hotel, and an employment agency, showcasing his diverse entrepreneurial ventures.

Maggie Lena Walker was the first American woman to own a bank, founding St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903.

She grew up in Richmond's Jackson Ward neighborhood, a thriving African American community dubbed the "Harlem of the South".

Walker's bank later merged with two others in the city to become the Consolidated Bank and Trust Co., and she was the chairman of its board of directors.

Today, it's the oldest bank continually operated by Black Americans in the U.S.

Maggie Lena Walker's legacy as a pioneering entrepreneur and banker continues to inspire generations.

She proved that with determination and hard work, African Americans could achieve financial independence and build successful businesses.

Walker's St. Luke Penny Savings Bank was a beacon of hope for the Black community, providing access to funds and financial services that were previously unavailable.

Lucille B. Smith was a true pioneer in the world of food and business. She created the first roll mix in the country, "Lucille's All Purpose Hot Roll Mix", which was a huge success and paved the way for other convenience foods.

She made $800 in profits in the first month of business, a significant amount for the 1940s. This shows her business acumen and ability to turn a product into a profitable venture.

Smith also created a college-level commercial food preparation program at Prairie View A&M, a historically Black college. This program was a groundbreaking initiative that helped to educate and empower future generations of entrepreneurs.

Her recipes are still available at Lucille's in Houston, a restaurant named for her by her great-grandsons who own it. This is a testament to her enduring legacy and the impact she had on the culinary world.

Oprah Winfrey (b. 1954) is a remarkable entrepreneur who has inspired millions with her business acumen. She became the first Black woman billionaire in 2003.

She gained millionaire status by age 32 when her show became syndicated, thanks to her smart decision to start her own production company, Harpo, and retain rights to the show.

Oprah's business savvy really took off when she co-founded Oxygen Media in 1996, giving her a cable network and magazine to her name.

She's now the CEO of OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, and has used her wealth to purchase 10 percent of Weight Watchers, working as a face of the brand.

In 2007, Oprah gave back to her community by starting the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, a school in South Africa for economically disadvantaged girls.

Reginald F. Lewis was a visionary entrepreneur who built a billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc., making him the first African American to achieve this milestone.

He was known for his business strategies and investments, as well as his substantial financial contributions to various educational institutions.

Reginald F. Lewis solidified his lasting legacy by establishing the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation to advance economic and social justice, and invest in African-American youth.

A Baltimore City public school, the Reginald F. Lewis High School of Business, Law, and Agriculture, bears his name, as well as the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture in downtown Baltimore.

His legacy serves as a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and vision.

Madam C.J. Walker's philanthropy was a defining aspect of her life and legacy. She supported schools, the arts, and civil rights organizations, providing wealth-building opportunities for her agents.

She was a true community-builder, offering working-class and middle-class African American women a form of independent employment. Her agents were not just employees, but community-oriented entrepreneurs.

Madam Walker's dream of owning an empire was bigger than her husband's, and she was willing to take risks to achieve it. She moved to Indianapolis, a manufacturing-friendly city, and built a factory, expanding her salons and training schools into other cities.

She provided employment for thousands of women, and her agents were motivated by her mantra: "I want you to understand that as Walker agents, your first duty is to humanity."

Madam C.J. Walker's philanthropy was a key part of her business strategy. She believed in giving back to her community and creating opportunities for others.

She supported schools, the arts, and civil rights organizations, providing a way for working-class and middle-class African American women to become community-oriented entrepreneurs. Erica Ball, a professor at Occidental College, notes that Walker's philanthropy was not just about giving back, but also about empowering women.

Walker's agents were encouraged to care about humanity, not just themselves, and to see their work as a way to make a positive impact on their communities. She famously told her agents, "I want you to understand that as Walker agents, your first duty is to humanity."

Walker's philanthropy was rooted in an older Black tradition of community-building, where she had learned about the importance of giving back from her peers. She had been the beneficiary of these kinds of Black community organizations when she was washing clothes for white women.

Walker's legacy of philanthropy extends beyond her business, as she dedicated herself to anti-lynching activism and donated $5,000 to the NAACP's anti-lynching fund in 1916. She also joined Harlem leaders to petition Washington politicians for anti-lynching legislation after the East St. Louis Riot of 1917.

Madam C.J. Walker's life has been portrayed in the 2020 TV show Self Made, with Octavia Spencer playing the lead role.

The TV show Self Made is a testament to the enduring impact of Walker's legacy on popular culture.