[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 81 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 81

 Recognizing Madam C.J. Walker for her achievements as a trailblazing 
woman in business, philanthropist, and 20th century activist for social 
                                justice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2010

    Mr. Rangel introduced the following joint resolution; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing Madam C.J. Walker for her achievements as a trailblazing 
woman in business, philanthropist, and 20th century activist for social 
                                justice.

Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was born on December 23, 1867, on a plantation in 
        Delta, Louisiana;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was the fifth of six children born to freed slaves 
        Owen and Minerva Anderson Breedlove, and the first of the Breedloves' 
        children born after the end of slavery;
Whereas, in 1905, Madam C.J. Walker invented a conditioning treatment designed 
        to improve the health of Black women's hair;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was a pioneer of what has become a multibillion dollar 
        international cosmetics industry;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker established a groundbreaking national and 
        international business empire, first selling products door-to-door, then 
        developing a marketing strategy, which included selling products through 
        the mail;
Whereas, in 1910, Madam C.J. Walker built a factory on land she purchased in 
        Indianapolis, Indiana, to manufacture her line of cosmetic products, a 
        historic achievement for a Black businessperson of that time;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was committed to employing women in all aspects of her 
        business, training well over 1,000 agents across the Nation and 
        fostering the entry of Black women into the business world;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker's central message was pride and empowerment;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker used her charisma, along with an army of sales agents, 
        to sell her cosmetic products, a strategy that has influenced the 
        marketing of beauty products since that time;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker utilized her connections to Black church communities 
        to build her network of agents and develop word-of-mouth advertising for 
        her products;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker crisscrossed the Nation by train, and, during her 
        travels, stayed in the homes of Black families because she was 
        prohibited from lodging in hotels due to her race;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was a noted philanthropist, giving generously to 
        charities, including the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Young 
        Women's Christian Association (YWCA), National Association for the 
        Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and National Association of 
        Colored Women (NAC), and other organizations;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker encouraged her agents to provide financial assistance 
        to Black humanitarian organizations across the Nation;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker used her influence to speak out against social 
        injustices, including lynching;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was one of the Nation's most successful 
        businesspersons of the early 20th century, widely believed to be 
        America's first self-made female millionaire;
Whereas in her rise to success, Madam C.J. Walker overcame barriers due to the 
        circumstances of her time, including pervasive racial discrimination, 
        restricted access to education, and limited opportunities for women in 
        business;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker has two historic landmarks attributed to her, the 
        Madame Walker Theatre Center, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and her 
        estate, Villa Lewaro, located in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York;
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker has been honored in the National Business Hall of Fame 
        at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the National 
        Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York;
Whereas, in 1998, Madam C.J. Walker was honored on a United States postage stamp 
        as part of the Black Heritage Series; and
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker died on May 25, 1919, at the age of 51: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That it is hereby recognized 
that Madam C.J. Walker is one of history's greatest businesspersons, 
and a role model for women, African-Americans, small businesses, 
entrepreneurs, and the Nation's young people.
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