Madam CJ Walker, a woman ahead of her time. Whenever I think of America’s finest, I think of her. Not because she was the first African American millionaire, but because she was pitted against the harshest of conditions and blatant racism where violence was just around every corner. She was up against sexism from even her own race. She had to demand equal footing and respect of men from Booker T Washington’s annual business conventions. After being such a heavy contributor to his causes, he had to relent to that magnanimous force which was the Madam. In my estimation she is the greatest entrepreneur ever except for maybe JD Rockefeller. She was also the neighbor of his contemporary, JP Morgan. It shows you her stature.
Her greatest invention was the direct marketing system still in use today by fine companies such as Melaleuca. Her company hired women of color during a time when no one hired people of color in professional occupations such as saleswoman. Imagine one of Madam’s agents showing up at a home with a dirt floor and no heat to give the lady of the home a makeover or a visit to uplift a mother and her small girls. Her agents lifted spirits, inspired dreams, and brought beauty into a home that endured hardship and struggle. She was an economic force for sure, enhancing thousands of lives, but where she really shined was her example of a can do spirit. I admire many excellent businesspeople, but none of them I admire more than Madam CJ Walker. G.O.A.T early 1900’s
