[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 16 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND WORK OF MADAME C.J. WALKER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CARSON. Mr. Speaker, since the inception of the Black History 
celebration, an idea that was inspired by Dr. Carver G. Woodson, the 
world has become acquainted with the myriad of contributions of 
African-American achievement.
  I rise today to pay tribute to a woman, Madame C.J. Walker, who 
contributed to black history and to the larger picture of American 
history, who resided in Indiana's 10th Congressional District. The 
Walker Building in my district is on the Register of Historic Places. 
For these reasons the Postal Service honored Madame C.J. Walker last 
month with a commemorative stamp in the 10th District of Indianapolis, 
Indiana.
  Madame Walker was born Sara Breedlove. She was America's first woman 
self-made millionaire. Overcoming a life of poverty, this orphaned 
daughter of slaves rose from washwoman to entrepreneur. In 1905, she 
developed a conditioning treatment for hair. Her pioneering hair care 
methods and products transformed the appearance and self-image of 
African-American women.
  As a business woman, Madame Walker was the master of door-to-door 
sales through the demonstration of her products in homes, in churches, 
and club meetings. As an innovative chemist, she experimented with 
herbs, ointments and chemicals and she developed an effective product 
that revolutionized black hair care.

                              {time}  1200

  By 1910, when Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company was created in 
Indianapolis, Walker had perfected the direct marketing technique used 
today by companies such as Mary Kay. At the height of Madame Walker's 
success, the company had 3,000 workers, including sales agents, factory 
workers, public relations persons, marketing specialists and chemists.
  As a leader and advocate for women, most of her employees were women. 
The company provided an alternative to the traditional domestic service 
jobs that had been reserved for black women, truly a visionary action 
before women had won the right to vote even. Furthermore, in Madame 
Walker's will was a provision that the company she founded always be 
headed by women.
  As a philanthropist, Madame Walker did much to promote racial and 
women's equality. At home, she contributed to Flanner House in 
Indianapolis, Bethel AME, the Alpha Home and the Senate Avenue YMCA. On 
the national level, she was an avid supporter of the NAACP, the 
Tuskegee Institute and the Mary McLeod Normal School. She encouraged 
her agents to support black philanthropic work by forming ``Walker 
Clubs'' and giving cash prizes to the clubs performing the largest 
amount of community charity work.
  I am grateful and proud that Madame Walker left such a rich legacy 
for not only me and my constituents in Indianapolis but for all of 
America. Indeed, if there was ever a person who personified the notion 
of self-determination and self-help, Madame C.J. Walker was that 
person. At a time when society could have strictly defined Madame 
Walker, she was the author of her own destiny and a beacon of 
inspiration for African-Americans and to all Americans, and women in 
particular.

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