History of Madam C. J. Walker in Timeline

Madam C. J. Walker was an influential American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. Notably, she is widely recognized as the first self-made female millionaire in America, although some debate exists due to documentation. Despite this, her impact on business, philanthropy, and activism is undeniable, solidifying her legacy as a pioneering figure in American history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Legacy & Impact

1903: Separation from John Davis

Around 1903, Sarah Breedlove, also known as Madam C.J. Walker, ended her second marriage with John Davis.

1904: Selling Products at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Around the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904, Sarah Breedlove became a commission agent, selling products for Annie Turnbo Malone and the Poro Company. Sales were disappointing as the African-American community was largely ignored.

July 1905: Move to Denver and Development of Her Own Haircare Business

In July 1905, Sarah Breedlove moved to Denver, Colorado, with her daughter Lelia, where she began developing her own haircare business while initially selling products for Annie Turnbo Malone. A dispute arose when Malone accused Breedlove of stealing her formula.

January 1906: Marriage to Charles Joseph Walker

In January 1906, Sarah Breedlove married Charles Joseph Walker, an advertising salesman, and subsequently began marketing herself as "Madam C. J. Walker".

1906: A'Lelia in Charge of Mail-Order Operation

In 1906, Madam C. J. Walker put A'Lelia in charge of the mail-order operation in Denver while she and Charles traveled to expand the business.

1906: Marketing as Madam C. J. Walker

In 1906, after marrying Charles Walker, Breedlove began marketing herself as "Madam C. J. Walker", an independent hairdresser and cosmetic cream retailer. She sold her products door to door and taught black women hair grooming and styling techniques.

1907: Closure of Denver Business

In 1907, Madam C. J. Walker closed her business in Denver, after which her daughter A'Lelia joined her in Pittsburgh.

1908: Relocation to Pittsburgh and Establishment of Lelia College

In 1908, Madam C. J. Walker and her husband relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where they opened a beauty parlor and established Lelia College to train "hair culturists".

1910: Relocation to Indianapolis

In 1910, Madam C. J. Walker relocated her businesses to Indianapolis, where she established the headquarters for the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company. She built a factory, hair salon, and beauty school and added a laboratory for research.

1910: A'Lelia runs day-to-day Operations in Pittsburgh

In 1910, after Madam C. J. Walker established a new base in Indianapolis, A'Lelia ran the day-to-day operations in Pittsburgh.

1911: Employment of Sales Agents

From 1911 to 1919, Madam C. J. Walker and her company employed several thousand women as sales agents for its products.

1912: Address to the National Negro Business League

In 1912, Madam C. J. Walker addressed an annual gathering of the National Negro Business League, sharing her journey from the cotton fields to becoming a business owner in the hair care industry.

1912: Divorce from Charles Joseph Walker

In 1912, Madam C. J. Walker and Charles Joseph Walker divorced.

1913: A'Lelia Moves to a New Townhouse in Harlem

Around 1913, Walker's daughter, A'Lelia, moved to a new townhouse in Harlem.

1913: Establishment of Office and Beauty Salon in Harlem

In 1913, A'Lelia Walker persuaded her mother to establish an office and beauty salon in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, which became a center of African-American culture.

1916: Walker Joins Her Daughter in New York

In 1916, Madam C. J. Walker joined her daughter in New York, delegating the day-to-day operations of her company to her management team in Indianapolis.

1917: Walker's Estimated Net Worth

By 1917, Madam C. J. Walker was considered worth between a half million and a million dollars and had a $250,000 mansion completed at the banks of the Hudson at Irvington.

1917: Company Trained Nearly 20,000 Women

By 1917, Madam C. J. Walker's company claimed to have trained nearly 20,000 women as sales agents for its products.

1917: First Annual Conference of the National Beauty Culturists and Benevolent Association

During the summer of 1917, the first annual conference of the National Beauty Culturists and Benevolent Association convened in Philadelphia, with 200 attendees. Walker gave prizes to women for sales achievements and charitable contributions.

1917: Commissioning of Villa Lewaro

In 1917, Madam C. J. Walker commissioned Vertner Tandy to design her house, Villa Lewaro, in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, intending it to be a gathering place for community leaders.

1917: Involvement in Political Matters

In 1917, Madam C. J. Walker joined the executive committee of the New York chapter of the NAACP and participated in the Silent Protest Parade on New York City's Fifth Avenue. Also, from 1917 until her death, Walker was a member of the Committee of Management of the Harlem YWCA, influencing the development of training in beauty skills to young women by the organization.

1917: Organization of Sales Agents into Clubs

In 1917, inspired by the National Association of Colored Women, Madam C. J. Walker began organizing her sales agents into state and local clubs, leading to the establishment of the National Beauty Culturists and Benevolent Association of Madam C. J. Walker Agents.

May 1918: Opening Event at Villa Lewaro

In May 1918, Madam C. J. Walker hosted an opening event at Villa Lewaro to honor Emmett Jay Scott, the Assistant Secretary for Negro Affairs of the U.S. Department of War.

1918: Honored by the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs

In 1918, the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC) honored Madam C. J. Walker for her significant contribution to preserving Frederick Douglass's Anacostia house.

May 25, 1919: Madam C. J. Walker's Death

On May 25, 1919, Madam C. J. Walker, an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist, passed away. She is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first self-made female millionaire in America.

1919: Pledge to the NAACP Anti-Lynching Fund

Before her death in 1919, Madam C. J. Walker pledged $5,000 to the NAACP's anti-lynching fund, which was the largest individual gift the NAACP had ever received at the time.

1919: Employment of Sales Agents

From 1911 to 1919, Madam C. J. Walker and her company employed several thousand women as sales agents for its products.

1926: Death of Charles Joseph Walker

In 1926, Charles Joseph Walker, Madam C. J. Walker's ex-husband, passed away.

December 1927: Opening of the Madame Walker Theatre Center

In December 1927, the Walker Manufacturing Company headquarters building, renamed the Madame Walker Theatre Center, opened in Indianapolis, featuring various facilities for the community.

1932: Purchase of Villa Lewaro by Companions of the Forest in America

Following A'Lelia Walker's death in 1932, the fraternal organization Companions of the Forest in America purchased Villa Lewaro.

1979: Villa Lewaro Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

In 1979, Villa Lewaro was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1980: Listing of the Madame Walker Theatre Center on the National Register of Historic Places

In 1980, the Madame Walker Theatre Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1987: Madam Walker featured in documentary

In 1987, Madam C. J. Walker's life was featured in Stanley Nelson's documentary, "Two Dollars and a Dream". Nelson, grandson of Walker's attorney, had access to original business records and interviewed former Walker Company employees.

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1993: Induction into National Women's Hall of Fame

In 1993, Madam C. J. Walker was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York, recognizing her achievements and contributions.

1998: Madam Walker Commemorative Stamp

In 1998, the U.S. Postal Service issued a Madam Walker commemorative stamp as part of its Black Heritage Series, honoring her legacy.

2006: Premiere of The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove

In 2006, Regina Taylor's play The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove, which recounts the history of Madam C. J. Walker's life, premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

2015: Advocacy of Black Women's Economic Independence

As an advocate of black women's economic independence, Walker opened training programs in the "Walker System" for her national network of licensed sales agents who earned healthy commissions. This information was published by Michaels, PhD in 2015.

March 4, 2016: Launch of "Madam C. J. Walker Beauty Culture" product line

On March 4, 2016, Sundial Brands, in collaboration with Sephora, launched the "Madam C. J. Walker Beauty Culture" line, featuring four collections focused on natural ingredients for different hair types.

2020: Octavia Spencer to portray Walker in TV series

In 2020, Octavia Spencer committed to portraying Madam C. J. Walker in a TV series based on the biography "On Her Own Ground" written by Walker's great-great-granddaughter, A'Lelia Bundles. The series, titled "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker", received mixed reviews due to storyline inaccuracies.

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January 31, 2022: Launch of "MADAM by Madam C. J. Walker" product line

On January 31, 2022, Sundial Brands, a division of Unilever, launched a collection of eleven new products under the brand name "MADAM by Madam C. J. Walker", sold exclusively at Walmart.

2022: Madam C.J. Walker Barbie doll issued

In 2022, Mattel released a Madam C.J. Walker Barbie doll as part of their Inspiring Women doll collection, celebrating her achievements and inspiring future generations.

Barbie Inspiring Women Doll, Madam C.J. Walker Wearing Puff Sleeve Blouse, Full-Length Skirt & Accessories, Collectible with Doll Stand & Certificate of Authenticity

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2023: Value of Pledge to NAACP

In 1919, Madam C. J. Walker pledged $5,000 to the NAACP's anti-lynching fund, which was the largest individual gift the NAACP had ever received at the time, this is the equivalent of about $88,000 in 2023.