madam c.j. walker manufacturing company type private industry cosmetics founded 1910 founder madam c.j. walker headquarters indianapolis indiana united states products cosmetics revenue website http www.madamewalker.net the madam c.j. walker manufacturing company madam c.j. walker manufacturing co. the walker company was a united states african american cosmetics manufacturer incorporated in indianapolis indiana in 1910 by madam c. j. walker . in 1911 madam c.j. walker was listed as the sole stakeholder of the company . the walker company was best known for its african american cosmetics and hair care products in the twentieth century . the walker company is considered the most widely known and financially successful african american owned business of the early twentieth century . in july 1981 the walker company changed operations . 1 it remains in business and launched a new line of 25 products in march 2016 under the brand name madam c. j. walker beauty culture . 2 contents 1 history 1.1 1905 1909 1.2 1910 1981 1.3 2016 present 2 see also 3 references history edit 1905 1909 edit madam c.j. walker then sarah breedlove first formed the idea of her company in denver colorado in the early twentieth century . like many women of her era she suffered from scalp infections and hair loss because of hygiene practices diet and products that damaged her hair . 3 walker had initially learned about hair and scalp care from her brothers who owned a barber shop in st. louis during the 1880s and 1890s . around 1904 walker still known as sarah breedlove mcwilliams davis after marriages to moses mcwilliams and john davis became a sales agent for annie malone an african american businesswoman who founded a company in 1900 manufacturing a wonderful hair grower . before 1900 there were several other black women who called themselves hair growers and who advertised in black newspapers including the baltimore afro american and the st. louis palladium . in 1900 gilbert harris spoke about work in hair at the national negro business league convention in boston . after moving to denver in july 1906 she worked as a cook at a boarding house . edmund l. scholtz a wholesale druggist in denver assisted her in developing her own ointment to heal scalp disease . 4 in january 1906 4 she married charles joseph walker and changed her name to madam c. j. walker . together they marketed and sold walker s wonderful hair grower . in denver and surrounding colorado communities . 3 the first advertisements for walker s haircare products appeared in 1906 in the statesman and featured a front and back image of her shoulder length hair which boasted the growth was from only two years treatment . 4 in july 1906 walker and her new husband left denver to begin traveling throughout the texas oklahoma and several southern states to market their product line . in september 1906 her daughter lelia took over the business operations in denver . 3 by may 1907 tensions between malone and madame came to a head and the statesman reported that walker would discontinue business in denver altogether and planned to travel throughout the southern united states and eventually to northern states . 3 as she gained popularity it became clear that walker would need a temporary headquarters for her business pittsburgh pennsylvania was chosen for its convenient and accessible shipping arrangements . 3 in the midst of pittsburgh s 1908 economic crisis walker opened a hair parlor at 2518 wylie avenue among a number of other black businesses . 3 walker also began training her own sales agents and founded lelia college a school named after her daughter . 3 she placed lelia in charge of these agents while traveling west to ohio . at twenty three lelia was sent to bluefield west virginia to survey untapped markets . 3 1910 1981 edit in january 1910 madame and her husband traveled to louisville kentucky where madame offered stock to reverend charles h. parrish and alice kelly . the pair suggested that madame write to booker t. washington for support of her company . madame wrote to washington requesting his aid in raising 50 000 to form a stock company . washington replied i hope very much you may be successful in organizing the stock company and that you may be successful in placing upon the market you preparation but did not offer his assistance . 5 madame and her husband arrived in indianapolis indiana on 10 february 1910 . seeking residence with dr. joseph ward on indiana avenue indianapolis s african american thoroughfare madame opened a salon in his home where she hosted sales agents and clients . between february and april 1910 madame grew her customer base . multi level marketing was madame s most successful strategy . 3 by august 1910 madame had 950 sales agents and thousands of clients coming through the salon . with her client base growing madame sought out two indianapolis lawyers freeman ransom and robert lee . in the summer of 1910 madame asked brokenburr to draft articles of incorporation for the madame c.j. walker manufacturing company of indiana . the mission of the company was to sell a hairgrowing beautifying and scalp disease curing preparation and clean scalps the same . 6 madame her husband and daughter were named the sole members of the board of directors . 3 in november with funds from her mail order business and ward residence salon madame purchased a brick home at 640 north west street . by december madame had added two more rooms and a bath with plans for the addition of a factory laboratory and salon . 7 according to brokenburr s incorporation papers the north west street building was to be named the madam c.j. walker manufacturing company of indiana . 8 marjorie joyner 1896 1994 became an agent for madame walker . by 1919 joyner was the national supervisor over walker s 200 beauty schools . a major role was sending their hair stylists door to door dressed in black skirts and white blouses with black satchels containing a range of beauty products that were applied in the customer s house . joyner taught some 15 000 stylists over her fifty year career . she was also a leader in developing new products such as her permanent wave machine . she helped write the first cosmetology laws for the state of illinois and founded both a sorority and a national association for black beauticians . in 1987 the smithsonian institution in washington opened an exhibit featuring joyner s permanent wave machine and a replica of her original salon . 9 2016 present edit in march 2016 sundial brands launched a new line called madam c. j. walker beauty culture that is sold exclusively in sephora stores and at sephora.com . 10 see also edit avon mary kay references edit 845 f. 2d 326 mohr v. r bowen md . openjurist.org . retrieved 3 june 2012 . http www.marketplace.org 2016 03 15 world sephora teams iconic black hair brand a b c d e f g h i j bundles a lelia 2001 . on her own ground the life and times of madam c.j. walker . new york scribner . pp. 79 91 . isbn 0684825821 . a b c bundles a lelia 2001 . on her own ground the life and times of madam c.j. walker . new york scribner . isbn 0684825821 . bundles a lelia 2001 . on her own ground the life and times of madam c.j. walker . new york scribner . p. 101 . isbn 0684825821 . lewis william m. august 26 1911 . the k. of p. meeting . indianapolis freeman . access date requires url help bundles a lelia 2001 . on her own ground the life and times of madam c.j. walker . new york scribner . p. 105 . isbn 0684825821 . bundles a lelia 2001 . on her own ground the life and times of madam c.j. walker . new york scribner . p. 109 . isbn 0684825821 . jessie carney smith ed . encyclopedia of african american popular culture 2010 pp 435 38 . http www.mcjwbeautyculture.com retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title madame c.j. walker manufacturing company & oldid 743484392 categories madam c. j. walkercosmetics companies of the united stateshistory of 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