Creating your own opportunity.

Sarah Breedlove was an African American woman from Louisiana. She was a woman of tremendous strength who fought her way through trials, and didn’t take no for an answer. Sarah endured pain, colorism, betrayal, heartache, and a broken heart to become the first self- made female millionaire in the world.



Before she started her business, Sarah had a career of doing laundry for small amounts of money. Her hands were constantly bruised, worn, and tired from washing clothes on the washboard. Like many African Americans, Sarah was self conscious about her looks. With brown skin not necessarily being popular or considered pretty then or now, she had a double problem. Her hair wasn’t growing, it was short, she had bald spots, and she constantly wore head wraps to cover it up.

One day, a mixed, African American woman named Addie came to town. She had long and curly hair and claimed to have a product to stimulate hair growth. Sarah’s hair grew long beyond her dreams. She wanted to sell the product for the woman who helped her considering that her hair had grown a great deal using the product. Addie was threatened by Sarah’s skin color. She allowed women of fairer skin with silkier hair to sell and advertise her hair products. Sarah was offended and She stood above the insults that Addie made towards her attempting to “keep her in her place.”



Sarah ignored Addies command and sold tins of the hair product and made 20 coins! More than any seller had made in one day before her. Addie was furious that Sarah didn’t respect her wishes and was not happy about the accomplishment. She accused Sarah of stealing and kicked her out. Sarah went home and made her own hair products. She went through a process of trial and error, trying the products on herself and her daughter. Finally she was able to whip up a simple and beautiful smelling product.



She sold her hair products and opened a salon. Eventually she married her love CJ Walker and moved with her husband, daughter, son in law, and lawyer to Indianapolis. She opened up a small salon in town and a mini factory in her house. Business was booming! No one believed she would make it this far. Sadly because of the carelessness of her son in law, he burns down the house. Sarah runs into Addie at church who recently moved to town to open a hair salon. Addie insults her and Sarah instructs her to interact with her no further unless she is addressed by the name “Madame CJ Walker. Sarah pushes her dream even further to open a factory. She asks Booker T. Washington to endorse her cause but he is strongly against it. In his perspective, women should remain in their place and stay out of men’s affairs. Sarah was shocked at the rude and misogynistic response. However, she did not let that stop her. She befriended his wife and later Mrs. Washington’s and her friends end up endorsing and supporting Sarah’s factory.



Sarah’s husband becomes extremely jealous of the attention Sarah is getting. His pride is hurt especially when others whispered in his ear that Sarah wore the pants in the relationship. He begins to flirt with Sarah’s #1 employee Dora. Dora turns on Sarah and convinced Sarah’s other employees to abandon her too! All on the day when investors were coming to view the factory. Her whole life was falling apart just as soon as it had been built. Sarah did not let that stop her. She lost the investments from the wealthy bankers and had to start over.

Eventually she divorces her husband because of his unfaithfulness. She and her daughter move to New York to continue the business of hair growth products. She soon becomes the first self made female millionaire in the world living next to John D. Rockefeller. She holds a ceremonial day for her 10,000 employees and they protest against her trying to put her products in stores. Rockefeller advises her to fire the rebellious employees, but Sarah sees another way to make others happy. She decides not to sell the product in stores and everyone kept their jobs. Today her legacy continues through her daughter and grandchildren.



Madam CJ Walker was a prestigious and hard working woman. She never took no for an answer and fought for what she felt was right. She inspires me because often time I get discouraged by my ideas and dreams getting turned down. It seems at times that no one believes in me and doesn’t care for my self esteem. Madam CJ Walker helped me to see that even heartbreak and fear should not stop you from following your dream. Though your world may be falling apart, and though your life may not be perfect, make the best of what you have. Always strive to do better and think bigger than the average. Pursue your dreams and start with the end in mind. Endure and struggle through until you make it to the other side.

Before knowing the details of who Madam CJ Walker was and what she had to go through to follow her dreams I was a quitter. I was afraid to even attempt opportunities that could grow my dreams and personal experiences. I was afraid to follow my dreams and voice my thoughts and opinions.

Today, I strive to follow in her pre paved roadmap. I am even doing so now with this submission. I saw an ad about this program a while back and wanted to do it, but was afraid my writing wasn’t good enough. I also didn’t feel that I had any who inspired me enough to write about. I wrote this story in order to conquer my fears and anxieties, silence my demons, and put in an effort to succeed.

I want to fight harder for what I want. I want to voice my problems and I refuse to remain silent any longer about injustice or unfair treatment. Instead of rebuttals and trying to prove others wrong, I am choosing to stay focused on my dreams and goals no matter what others may say. In the end that’s all that matters. I learned from her to set my own goals, clap for myself, and keep it pushing no matter what I go through. I have to silence my own fears. Even if I do not win, I hope someone is inspired and blessed by this simple story of how I was influenced by a great woman. I now studiously take her wise advice on making an opportunity.

“Don’t sit down and wait for opportunities to come. Get up and make them!” - Madam CJ Walker