19 Feb Connected At Our Roots: How Madam C.J. Walker Paved The Way For Salon Brazyl

“I am endeavoring to provide employment for hundreds of women of my race.”

Madam C.J. Walker

At Salon Brazyl, we celebrate #blackgirlmagic every day of the year. But we’d be remiss to let Black History Month pass by without highlighting the black women who helped to shape the hair community as we know it.

As the owner of Salon Brazyl, I find inspiration daily from women of our past and present. So, to kick off our series, I’m sharing my ultimate figure of black history in the hair community: Madam C.J. Walker – a trailblazer in the hair care industry and my personal inspiration. The silk press simply wouldn’t exist without her.

But what draws me to Walker this month extends far past the scope of hair and touches me instead at my roots…pun intended.

First, a little background on Madam C.J. Walker. She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist throughout her lifetime. Walker established her own hair care company “Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company” and education institute, Lelia College. While she didn’t “technically” invent the hot comb, she improved it with wider teeth and popularized the product by providing proper training throughout our community. 

Her network of students and customers, as well as her philanthropic efforts, made her a well-known figure throughout the often neglected African-American community. Upon her death, Walker was considered the first self-made black female millionaire in the United States. Like, she’s #goals.

My Connection to Madam C.J. Walker

While her career accolades may seem enough to be an inspiration for anyone, I feel connected to Madam C.J. Walker on a personal level due to our similarities:

Ancestral Similarities

Madam C.J. Walker, formerly Sarah Breedlove, was born to two sharecroppers, or people who worked the fields in exchange for rent and very little wages. Fortunately, she was the first of six children born into freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Similarly, my own grandfather was a paid farmhand who maintained the crops and acted as the go-to guy between the farm owners and other workers during the same time frame. It’s clear that the history of Madam CJ Walker, me and maybe even you, connects us on a deeper level than we can comprehend.

Our Introduction to the Beauty Industry

You never forget how you got your start…whether from family, friends or teachers. Both Walker and I were introduced to the beauty industry by our family members: for her, her brothers who were barbers in St. Louis; in my case, my mother, Lula Hankerson, who was a hairdresser for years. For me, learning your profession from someone you look up to like a family member ignites a different passion for your work and shapes the legacy you aim to build.

Although introduced to the hair conversation by her brother, Madam C.J. Walker furthered her education and got her start under the tutelage of Annie Turnbo Malone. After losing her hair due to scalp conditions – probably made worst from the lack of hair care resources at the time – Walker sought out a solution and found one in Malone’s hair grower. Malone owned the Poro Company and recruited Walker as a salesperson. Here, Walker was able to develop her knowledge of hair care and begin to cultivate her own product line on the side (we love a side hustle).

Our Life’s Mission

It’s clear from Madam C.J. Walker’s life that she aimed to educate and empower black women – the ultimate goal of Salon Brazyl. Events like the Wash and Go Brunch give me the opportunity to spread my knowledge to young stylists and teach them ways to boost their business and find independence. Like Walker, I see the gap in hair education in our community and strive to fill it with factual knowledge.

Although set for life, Walker said, “I am not merely satisfied in making money for myself, I am endeavoring to provide employment for hundreds of women of my race,” – and that’s exactly what she did.

After crafting her own product, “Madam Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower,” Walker decided to go into business for herself. Going from door to door, she not only sold her hair creams, but she also taught women of color how to brush, style and properly care for their hair. She went on to open Lelia College (named after her daughter…much like Salon Brazyl) and train women not only in sales and grooming but also in business basics to encourage financial independence.

As I grow and mature in this industry, I see the impact that women like Walker had on where I am today as a hair stylist. The forward motion of the hair community came from women spreading knowledge on how to care for black hair specifically. Although we’ve come a long way since then, there’s still a lot to teach and even more to learn about our hair – but look at just how far we’ve come. And so I say, thank you Madam C.J. Walker.