Born Sarah Breedlove, Madame C.J. Walker became the first female African-American millionaire by inventing a line of cosmetics and hair products aimed at black consumers in the first decades of the 20th century. Walker pioneered the use of female sales agents, who traveled door to door across the U.S. and Caribbean selling her products. An active philanthropist, Walker also was an early champion of employee development and offered business training and other educational opportunities to her workers as a means of helping her fellow African-American women achieve financial independence.Born Sarah Breedlove, Madame C.J. Walker became the first female African-American millionaire by inventing a line of cosmetics and hair products aimed at black consumers in the first decades of the 20th century. Walker pioneered the use of female sales agents, who traveled door to door across the U.S. and Caribbean selling her products. An active philanthropist, Walker also was an early champion of employee development and offered business training and other educational opportunities to her workers as a means of helping her fellow African-American women achieve financial independence.