Madam C. J. Walker

            After reading the posts on the blog about society’s notion of beauty and how it is unfair to black women, I could not help but think of Madam C. J. Walker. Born Sarah Breedlove in Louisiana, she became both the first African-American and first woman to become a millionaire through her own efforts. Madam C. J. Walker was a cosmetic pioneer that made her fortune by making products aimed at black women. She understood that there were differences in the type of beauty care that white women and black women required, and so she catered to black women using her own home remedies and products.

Madam C. J. Walker worked very hard to sell her product and aggressively marketed it. Her work ethic can be summed up by her quote about herself: “I am a woman who came from the cotton fields of the South. From there I was promoted to the washtub. From there I was promoted to the cook kitchen. And from there I promoted myself into the business of manufacturing hair goods and preparations. I have built my own factory on my own ground.” Compared to today’s cosmetic products that attempt to appeal to all women, Madam C. J. Walker focused on providing her specific clientele with a superior product. Black women responded positively to this approach, as they were very happy that there was a product that appealed to their needs specifically. They did not have to use the other cosmetic products that had little effect for their specific complaints.

Although Madam C. J. Walker made such a large impact on the cosmetic world, why do you think that the products released today are so unfair to black women? Although they attempt to include everyone, it seems that beauty products and society’s notion of beauty both tend to favor fair-skinned women. How do you think Madam C. J. Walker’s cosmetic legacy survives today? Moving on from strictly her cosmetic innovations, how do you think her work ethic and success affected black women and women in general?