Madam C.J. Walker was born in 1867, just a few years after slavery ended in the United States.

Her real name was Sarah Breed Love, and she was born into a poor family in Louisiana.

Life was tough. She was the first in her family to be born free, but she lost her parents when she was young

and had to start working

at a very early age. She washed clothes and cleaned houses to make money. Even though she had

very little, she saved what she could and paid close attention to how people ran their businesses.

As she got older, she began to struggle with hair loss, which was common at the time,

because people didn't have access to good hygiene or hair products.

Instead of just being upset about it, Sarah decided to do something.

She began experimenting with different ingredients and eventually created a special formula that helped her hair grow.

She started using it, saw great results,

and realized she might be able to help others too. That's where her journey as Madam C.J. Walker

really began. She changed her name, created her own line of hair care products, and started selling

them door to door. She didn't have a lot of money to begin with, but she

invested in her idea. She used what little she had to buy ingredients and packaging. She also

invested time, talking to customers, giving demonstrations, and teaching other women how to use

her products. She wasn't just a businesswoman. She was a teacher, a mentor, and a

leader. Madame C.J. Walker believed that success meant more than just making money for herself.

As her business began to grow, she saw an opportunity to help other women grow too. She knew what

it felt like to struggle and wanted to lift others up alongside her.

So she started hiring women from her community and beyond, teaching them how to sell her hair care products.

She called them Walker agents. These women didn't just sell shampoo and creams. They learned how to

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