Mary Kay Carson - Who Was the Hair-Care Millionaire? Madam C. J. Walker

COOL INVENTIONS!

MANY PEOPLE DREAM OF BEING A MILLIONAIRE, BUT MADAM C. J. WALKER REALLY BECAME ONE! LEARN ABOUT HER LIFE AND THE INVENTION OF HER HAIR-CARE PRODUCTS. MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE BUBBLE BATH, TOO!

"READ THE FASCINATING STORY ABOUT A WOMAN OF COLOR WHO CREATED A HAIR-CARE EMPIRE AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN AMERICA."

"YOUNGER READERS WILL WANT TO READ MORE AFTER LEARNING ABOUT SOME OF OUR NATION'S GREAT INVENTORS. EASY-TO-READ AND INFORMATIVE, THIS SERIES MIGHT INSPIRE SOME FUTURE INVENTORS."

About the Author

Author Mary Kay Carson is a full-time science writer who has written more than forty books for young people and their teachers. In 2011, she received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children's Literature Award. She has her BS degree in biology.

charitiesGroups that help the poor and needy.

millionaireSomeone who is worth a million or more dollars.

orphanA child with no parents.

plantationA large farm with slaves or workers.

scalpThe skin under the hair on the head.

Madam C. J. Walker

Madam C. J. Walker was born on a plantation. Her parents had been slaves. Walker lived years ago, before women could vote. At that time being African American made everything harder. But she started a business. She became a millionaire. How did she do it?

Many people worked on a cotton plantation.

Walker started working in the cotton fields when she was five years old. There was little time for school. She became an orphan two years later. Both her parents died. She needed money to live. So, she washed clothes for money. Walker was young when she got married. She had a baby when she was seventeen.

In 1867, Walker was born in this cabin. The cabin was on a Louisiana plantation.

Walkers husband died a few years later. She moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and worked washing clothes.

Walker usually wore a scarf. Her hair was falling out. Her scalp was unhealthy. She tried different hair products. Nothing helped.

Walker decided to make her own hair product. What would help hair grow? She prayed for an answer. Walker had a dream. In it, a man told her the ingredients. She tried mixing the ingredients and using them on her head. Her hair grew back!

These photos show Walker before and after using her Wonderful Hair Grower.

Madam C. J. Walker invented a whole line of beauty products for African-American women.

Walker began selling hair-care products door to door.

Walker showed women how to use her products.

Walker called her new product Wonderful Hair Grower. She sold it by knocking on doors. She went from house to house. Many women bought her products and shampoos. Walkers business grew fast.

Madam C. J. Walker helped many African-American women. She gave them a new place to work.

Madam C.J. Walkers hair-care company was successful. Lots of people worked for her. Walker opened beauty shops. She taught women how to sell. She sold her products in other countries, too.