One of the most successful women entrepreneurs of the early 20th century, Madam C. J. Walker amassed a fortune with her international hair-care and cosmetic industry. But the prosperous businesswoman is perhaps best remembered for her astounding philanthropy and social activism.
Not only did her hair-care business catapult her to personal wealth, but it also provided job opportunities for thousands of African-American women and men in the 1910s. A champion of women’s economic independence, she generously contributed to a variety of such causes and organizations. Though her resumé does not include any official awards of recognition during her lifetime, Walker was held in high esteem in the black community for her extraordinary philanthropy.
Walker’s gestures of altruism were astonishing for an African-American woman of that era. Her gift of $1,000 to the black Indianapolis YMCA in 1912 was the single greatest donation from a black woman at the time. She donated $5,000 to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People‘s Anti-Lynching Fund in 1919—the largest contribution the group had ever received before that year. Her contribution to the National Association of Colored Women‘s fund for the Frederick Douglass home in Washington, D.C. helped save the building from being sold. (It is currently a museum operated by the National Park Service and has been designated a National Historic Site.)
Today, Madam C. J. Walker’s spirit lives on across the country. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Fortune/Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame.
I just wanted to inform your readers of this very important fact – Madame C.J. Walker’s historic company still exists today and has never stopped manufacturing all of the original hair oils! Anyone who visits our website at http://www.madamewalker.net can view and purchase the full product line.
The website also contains valuable information about the stock / asset sale (including the ability to view the stock certificates) and Raymond Randolph’s purchase of the original Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company in 1985 from the Walker Trustees in Indianapolis, Indiana and how the Randolph Family (wife Joyce and daughters Vivian, Angela, Stephanie) continues to keep Madame Walker’s true legacy alive.
To promote the entrepreneurial spirit that Madame Walker exemplified, the website provides individuals the opportunity to become a “Walker Agent” and sell Madame C.J. Walker products. By clicking on the “Find A Distributor” tab, you will see agents located in the United Kingdom, France, Bahamas, and the United States.
September 2011 marked the Centennial Anniversary of the incorporation of Madame C.J. Walker’s historic company – doing business today as Madame C.J. Walker Enterprises. On September 24th, 2011 we commemorated this event with the “Tracing the Footsteps of a Legacy” 100th Year Celebratory Walk. You can visit our website to view the Souvenir Program.
Due to our ownership of Madame’s historic company and the historical documents and memorabilia of the company, the Randolph Family can provide the most detailed and historically accurate information about Madame C.J. Walker and her company by calling toll free, 866-552-2838, by clicking on the “Frequently Asked Questions” FAQS tab of our website, or by going to the contact us page of our website.
Angela Randolph
http://www.madamewalker.net