Madam C.J. Walker: Haircare Entrepreneur

Last week, our focus for Black History Month was Madam C.J. Walker.  She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist who rose from poverty in the South to become one of the wealthiest African American women of her time. As an adult, feeling the strain of years of physical labor and facing hair loss, she developed her own hair products and straighteners for African American Women and turned these products into a very successful business. 

An advocate for Black women’s economic independence, she hired, trained, and paid women well, to sell her company’s products.  Not only was she financially successful herself, she was generous in her outreach to others, donating much of her money to charity and advocating for rights for Black Americans.

As the children learned about Madam C.J. Walker’s life, they had the opportunity to respond creatively through drama, conversation, painting and creating different hairstyles.  After hearing about her entrepreneurial Black hair care business, the children discussed how they take care of their hair, who helps them care for it, where they get it cut, etc.  

Andrew: “Daddy always fixes it. He does it on the side.  He uses sometimes gel, sometimes water, always a a hairbrush. But I like it crazy.” 

Margot: “Mommy uses her hand and a comb.”

Elijah: “Mommy and Grandma fix my hair.”

Hannah: “I have 2 brushes.  One hurts. One does not!”

Maddox: “I get my haircut at home and at a barbers.”

Juliette: “I don’t like to go in the bath tub.  I go in the water.  Mommy scrub my hair and I dump the water on me.” 

We also enjoyed a visit from a special first grade guest speaker, Ms Buckley’s son, who came to talk about what he uses to care for his hair.  

After reading the books Happy Hair and Cool Cuts by Mechal Renee Roe, the children painted Black hairstyles inspired by the illustrations and created other hairstyles using yarn and decorative details.

Children also enjoyed operating their very own Bear Hair Salon!  

We enjoyed learning about Madam C.J. Walker’s successes!