Sarah Breedlove (Delta,1867 – Irvington, 1919) Also known as C. J. Walker, was a self-taught chemist. Her parents and older siblings were plantation slaves. She learned chemistry in her own kitchen, discovered a system to straighten her curly hair and created a successful mail-order catalog company, creating a cosmetics empire. She also dedicated herself to training other women to become entrepreneurs, helping to overcome numerous sexist and racist barriers. She is considered the first “self-made” African-American woman millionaire.
