Madam C. J. Walker-America's first Black woman millionaire-made her fortune from a line of homemade hair care products for Black women. A talented entrepreneur with a knack for self-promotion, the self-made millionaire generously used her wealth to fund scholarships for women at the Tuskegee Institute and support the work of the NAACP, the Black YMCA, and other charities.

She was born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 to formerly enslaved Louisiana sharecroppers. The first of their children to be born free, her early life was filled with hardships. Orphaned at six, married at 14, and widowed at 20, she worked as a laundress in St. Louis to support herself and her two-year-old daughter. In St. Louis, while juggling her job and night school, she first met Charles J. Walker, the man who became her second husband and inspired the name of her eventual empire.

 After enduring a rare scalp disorder, Walker developed a homemade remedy to prevent further hair loss. This led her to create a line of hair care products and scalp treatments specifically for Black women, which she called the "Walker System." At first, she sold her homemade products directly to Black women, using a personal approach that won her the trust of loyal customers. Later, she employed teams of saleswomen, whom she called "Beauty Culturalists" to sell her products.

Walker became one of the nation's best-known African Americans. The financial success of her business enabled her to live in homes that were a far cry from the humble dwelling of her Louisiana childhood. Walker's country home, Villa Lewaro, in Irvington-on-Hudson, was designed by Black architect Vertner Tandy, while her Manhattan townhouse, later in the 1920s, became a salon for members of the Harlem Renaissance.

Besides being a savvy entrepreneur, Walker was a dedicated philanthropist. She established clubs for her employees, encouraging them to give back to their communities and rewarding them with bonuses when they did. During a time when Black women had limited business opportunities, Walker promoted female talent, stipulating in her company's charter that only a woman could serve as its president.

Madam Walker died at age 51 from complications related to hypertension at her country home in Irvington-on-Hudson on May 25, 1919. Her plans for her Indianapolis headquarters, the Walker Building, were carried out after her death and completed in 1927. Today that building is home to the Madam Walker Legacy Center-a  non-profit organization dedicated to providing cultural education, promoting social justice, supporting entrepreneurship, and empowering youth to become the next generation of entrepreneurs and civic leaders.