Black History : Sarah Breedlove a.ka. Madam CJ Walker

[MzBlkAngel]

Well instead of going negative you should of came positive and correct her first invention was Wonderful Hair Grower, a scalp conditioning and healing formula. During this time many black women did not know how to take care of their hair. This led to rampant scalp diseases like dandruff, lice, eczema, alopecia and tetter. The result was profound hair loss for many black women.

by the way, She did NOT invent the straightening comb, though many people incorrectly believe that to be true. it was Walter Sammons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania received U.S. patenton December 21, 1920 and Theora Stephens on October 21, 1980

She have HAD NO ties to the straightening of African-American women's hair.
Another fact....white women were really the first ones who used the straightening comb because they were trying to affect certain styles with wigs.

Also at this time African Americans were becoming more urban and competing in the job market.

So lets get the facts

1875 Marcel Grateau made the marcel curling iron
1905 Charles Nessler invented cold wave perms
1931 pre heated method was introduce
1941 waving solution n neutralizer

 

[Isaiah]

Sarah Breedlove was born in Delta, Louisiana, on Dec. 23, 1867, the daughter of Owen and Minerva Breedlove. Orphaned at six, she moved to Vicksburg with her sister, Louvenia, when she was ten. At the age of fourteen she married Moses (Jeff) McWilliams. They had a daughter, A'Lelia, born in 1885. McWilliams died in 1887, said to have been the victim of a race riot in Greenwood, Mississippi

http://www.indianahistory.org/pop_hist/people/walker.html

MzBlackAngel, great thread about a controversial and dynamic personality... Madame C.J. is a woman who, in many ways, embodies the spirit of African women in that she was an independent and creative soul and spirit trying to make a way out of no way...

Yeah, her products are controversial, but she, as an entrepreneur is unparalelled in her brilliance... Not only was this sister the first African American female millionaire in America, she was the first female millionaire period! She's Oprah before Oprah was even thought about... Great sister, Great woman, mother, entrepreneur - the embodiment of many of the wonders of Black Women in America, and everywhere... Thank you a million times for posting this great article and website, sister... She was, and is, a great one, just like you, and all the wonderful women of African descent...

Peace!
Isaiah

 

[jamesfrmphilly]

she was a great woman because she made a lot of money?

how capitalistic is that?
bob johnson also made a lot of money from BET.
do we now put him in the hall of fame?

if the criteria for greatness in the black community is the accumulation of money and fame, then we have a problem.

i want to know what these people did for the grass roots people of the community and did their harm equal their benefit.

straight hair = crack.

think about it.

 

[MrFolklore]

It is the norm for individuals who are entering the twillight of their lives to become embittered and down the accomplishments of others. I find that behavior replusive and totally unexceptable . Other than type ad nauseam comments on this forum daily, why not do a little soul searching and ask yourself "what have I done for the grass root community today?"

To date, not once have I ever seen a word of encouragement or inspiration uttered under your moniker. Why is that? Why must you pedal disdain, hate and discontent? It is as if you were owed money in another life and attempting to seek full payment from the populous of this community. My brother, you need step out of that ghostly light that bathed the cave in which you dwell and embrace the mainstream. You speak as if the world that you dwell in is right and everyone else is wrong. The sad part of it all is that it is you who is the victim, the accused; yet, unwittingly during your transformation in your dimly lit underworld the accused has become an instrument of the very thing you accuse others of being (unenlighten). This is a sad and unfortunate tragedy.

What tears at my heart is that you are acting like some southern white man who does not like to discuss what blacks accomplished. This topic (C.J. Walker) honors a positive, great and noble woman. Why not celbrate such a person? Afterall, black women are the backbone of our community.

James Baldwin once wrote that, "The glorification of one race and the consequent debasement of another, or others, always has been and always will be a recipe for murder. The question is which race (or better yet gender) are you trying to debase?

When it comes to C.J. Walker ... you're not worthy of attempting to touch her bra strap. Man, chill on the nationalist rhetoric. It ain't that serious. And you ain't leading nobody to a promise land.

 

[Isaiah]

It is the norm for individuals who are entering the twillight of their lives to become embittered and down the accomplishments of others. I find that behavior replusive and totally unexceptable . Other than type ad nauseam comments on this forum daily, why not do a little soul searching and ask yourself "what have I done for the grass root community today?"

To date, not once have I ever seen a word of encouragement or inspiration uttered under your moniker. Why is that? Why must you pedal disdain, hate and discontent? It is as if you were owed money in another life and attempting to seek full payment from the populous of this community. My brother, you need step out of that ghostly light that bathed the cave in which you dwell and embrace the mainstream. You speak as if the world that you dwell in is right and everyone else is wrong. The sad part of it all is that it is you who is the victim, the accused; yet, unwittingly during your transformation in your dimly lit underworld the accused has become an instrument of the very thing you accuse others of being (unenlighten). This is a sad and unfortunate tragedy.

What tears at my heart is that you are acting like some southern white man who does not like to discuss what blacks accomplished. This topic (C.J. Walker) honors a positive, great and noble woman. Why not celbrate such a person? Afterall, black women are the backbone of our community.

James Baldwin once wrote that, "The glorification of one race and the consequent debasement of another, or others, always has been and always will be a recipe for murder. The question is which race (or better yet gender) are you trying to debase?

When it comes to C.J. Walker ... you're not worthy of attempting to touch her bra strap. Man, chill on the nationalist rhetoric. It ain't that serious. And you ain't leading nobody to a promise land.

Wow, Mr. Folklore, that's pretty harsh, don't you think? I know brother James can be mad caustic in his analysis, but I don't think the brother is bitter about Madame C.J.'s success as an entrepreneur... I believe we do have to look closer at our heroes as it is not always cut and dried whom we're looking at on the surface...

I don't want to be an apologist for James or Madame C.J.... I just feel that her accomplishments weren't all positive, and James is pointing that out... You know and I know that there's no way that we can say that our Beautiful African women straightening their hair is in any way a positive thing... Comparing it to crack usage is too strong, as well... Would that we could strike a happy medium, and say that she was a sensational entrepreneur who invented something that turned out to be somewhat detrimental to African woman???

Peace!
Isaiah