Madam C.J Walker: Business Savvy to Generous Philanthropy

Title: “Madam C.J Walker: Business Savvy to Generous Philanthropy”

Author: A’Lelia Bundles

# of Pages: Three                 Page #: 111-114

Type of reading: History

Level of difficulty: Moderate

New Vocabulary: bolstered, philanthropist, menial, salves, and bequeathing.

Bolstered: Support or strengthen.

The fall in interest rates is starting to bolster confidence.

Philanthropist: A person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially; by the generous donation of money to good cause.

Philanthropist who devoted himself to work in this part of London.

Menial: (of work) not requiring much skill and lacking prestige.

It embraces many duties, some of them menial and disagreeable.

Salves: An ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.

Lisa’s hair falls out, so she puts salve on her scalp.

Bequeathing: leave (a personal estate or one's body) to a person or other beneficiary by a will.

An identical sum was bequeathed by Margaret

What is the article of the subject?

 Madam C. J. Walker and her business success and philanthropist.

What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey about this topic?

She wants people to know about her great grandma and the great things she did.  

Summary

Against enormous odds, Madam C. J Walker became the most successful African-American business woman and leading woman philanthropist of her era. Madam Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in 18 in rural Louisiana to recently freed slaves.  Madam C. J Walker lost her parents when she was 7 years old. She then married a man named Moses McWilliams when she was 14 years old. When Madam C. J. Walker was 20, she was a widow and had a child. Madam Walker was a laundress until her hair started falling out, and she was embarrassed. Causing the hair loss was a severe scalp disease. Madam C. J. Walker then created a savvy that healed her scalp, and allowed her hair to grow back. When Walker worked in laundress she was only making $1.50, now with her new business she is now making enough money to help others. Her market was so big, she expanded it beyond the United States to Jamaica, Panama and many more places.

Madam C. J. Walker was involved in political civil rights, she joined the executive committee of the Silent Protest Parade. Before Walker passed away she donated a lot of her money. She advised her will to reflect her passions, for education, children, and the elderly. Madam C. J. Walker was a successful woman, she was determined, out-going, charitable, motivated and defiantly a hard worker.

Reaction:

Madam C. J. Walker had so many character traits, she was very successful in life. Walker was very determined in life. She tried hard to find a savvy that would work to heal the scalp and to make her hair grow back. Walker was defiantly a care-giver and a hard worker, she never gave up in what she did. When she passed away she made a will to the children, education and elderly and to many other places.  She was a great care-giver. Was very open minded, never had a negative thought and never gave up in life. I would have to say my nana Jean has similar traits as Madam C. J. Walker because she is a nurse and an amazing grandma. My nana is a huge care giver to her patients and to the family. She is very successful like Madam C. J Walker.