IA 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 81 
Recognizing Madam C.J. Walker for her achievements as a trailblazing woman 
in business, philanthropist, and 20th century activist for social justice. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2010 
Mr. RANGEL introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Recognizing Madam C.J. Walker for her achievements as 
a trailblazing woman in business, philanthropist, and 
20th century activist for social justice. 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was born on December 23, 
1867, on a plantation in Delta, Louisiana; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was the fifth of six children 
born to freed slaves Owen and Minerva Anderson 
Breedlove, and the first of the Breedloves’ children born 
after the end of slavery; 
Whereas, in 1905, Madam C.J. Walker invented a condi-
tioning treatment designed to improve the health of 
Black women’s hair; 
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Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was a pioneer of what has be-
come a multibillion dollar international cosmetics indus-
try; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker established a groundbreaking 
national and international business empire, first selling 
products door-to-door, then developing a marketing strat-
egy, which included selling products through the mail; 
Whereas, in 1910, Madam C.J. Walker built a factory on 
land she purchased in Indianapolis, Indiana, to manufac-
ture her line of cosmetic products, a historic achievement 
for a Black businessperson of that time; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was committed to employing 
women in all aspects of her business, training well over 
1,000 agents across the Nation and fostering the entry 
of Black women into the business world; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker’s central message was pride 
and empowerment; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker used her charisma, along with 
an army of sales agents, to sell her cosmetic products, a 
strategy that has influenced the marketing of beauty 
products since that time; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker utilized her connections to 
Black church communities to build her network of agents 
and develop word-of-mouth advertising for her products; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker crisscrossed the Nation by 
train, and, during her travels, stayed in the homes of 
Black families because she was prohibited from lodging 
in hotels due to her race; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was a noted philanthropist, giv-
ing generously to charities, including the Young Men’s 
Christian Association (YMCA), Young Women’s Chris-
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tian Association (YWCA), National Association for the 
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and National 
Association of Colored Women (NAC), and other organi-
zations; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker encouraged her agents to pro-
vide financial assistance to Black humanitarian organiza-
tions across the Nation; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker used her influence to speak out 
against social injustices, including lynching; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker was one of the Nation’s most 
successful businesspersons of the early 20th century, 
widely believed to be America’s first self-made female 
millionaire; 
Whereas in her rise to success, Madam C.J. Walker overcame 
barriers due to the circumstances of her time, including 
pervasive racial discrimination, restricted access to edu-
cation, and limited opportunities for women in business; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker has two historic landmarks at-
tributed to her, the Madame Walker Theatre Center, lo-
cated in Indianapolis, Indiana, and her estate, Villa 
Lewaro, located in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York; 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker has been honored in the Na-
tional Business Hall of Fame at the Museum of Science 
and Industry in Chicago and the National Women’s Hall 
of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York; 
Whereas, in 1998, Madam C.J. Walker was honored on a 
United States postage stamp as part of the Black Herit-
age Series; and 
Whereas Madam C.J. Walker died on May 25, 1919, at the 
age of 51: Now, therefore, be it 
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