The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-06-25
THE NEGRO WOMAN IN BUSINESS.


The ability or capacity of a ma
ton or race is measured by the reach
of its most successful individuals.
Using this standard to judge the BUSH
ness acumen Of the Negro, the Negro
woman easily stands at the top, as
an embodiment of initiative, original
itY salemanship and great financial
returns.
Women have so often been told that
women can do no business, that BUSH
ness is a mans job, till they have
actually begun to believe the state
ment, regardless of the fact that the
two leading business activities, con-
ceived by Negro brain, operated by
Negroes and for Negroes were de-
veloped by Negro women, viz. The
Leila College of Hair Culture and
Madam Walker Preparations by the
late Madam Walker and the Poro
College by Mr.. Ann p. Malone.
\ short sketch of the lives and
business of these two women shows
the possibility of the Negro woman
in business. If she possesses the quail
ties necessary for success. Not every
man succeeds in business nor will
every woman. Quality not sex rules
the result of any undertaking.
Mrs. Walker was left an orphan
at seven, she was treated with such
cruelty by those with whom she lived
mat SItC HldIIltu at fourteen TO get
home. She had known only three
months of schooling in her life but
her husband seems to have been above
the ordinary, for he induced her to
go TO night school after she was mar
rled. She was left widow at twenty
with one child, and her only means of
support, the wash tub" Could any
one, start out on business career
with greater handicap?
Madam Walkers initial investment
was one dollar and a half Her first
began to manufacture the product
that was to bring her a fortune"
The Kansas city Sun say of her:
She has alwayG had a respect for
printers ink that places her ahead of
many white folk for as fast as she
earned a little money she spent IT ad-
Vertising at one time she owned a
newspaper in which she eXtolled, ed
itorially, geographically, and locally
her wares"
Madam Walker had all the attri-
butes of the modern business man,
sharing. She kept annually six stu
dents in school paying all their eX-
penses and showing personal inter-
est in their welfare. She contributed
the only Negro woman to contribute
$1,000 to the Y NJ c. A.
She opened up business opportunity
to countless women of the race, pro-
ty Of $500 per week to that of $4,000
per week.
The Kansas city Sun paid Madam
Walker this fitting compliment: "She
lives in luxury, but is not a profligate,
giving to the poor what many white
people of her income devote to rio
tous living" This same paper COM
pliments the excellent taste she ex-
hibited in the furnishings of her home
and beauty parlors. Madam Walker
preserved a charm and simplicity of
manner which rendered the most hum
BILE at ease in her presence and which
will endear her to all who had the
privilege to meet her and to hear her
most remarkable story from her own
lips.
Madam Walkers business is now
being carried on by her daughter and
she seems to possess all the ability
of her gifted mother and is showing
great skill in maintaining and pro-
noting her business in the face of a
keen competition with which her
mother was not confronted.