14 Lesser-Known Black Americans Who Changed Our Country For the Better

Born to the name Sarah Breedlove in Louisiana, Madam C.J. Walker moved to Denver with two dollars in her pocket and a dream of selling hair care products to African-American women. In 1906, she founded the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company with her husband, Charles Joseph Walker. Madam Walker started off selling her products — including a beauty regimen that straightened hair while helping it grow — door-to-door to black women. She eventually took over the business by herself and became one of the most successful entrepreneurs of her time, employing thousands of women.