美国名人 企业家 沃克夫人.docx

美国名人企业家沃克夫人MadamCJ.Walker,1867-1919:DevelopedHair-CareProductsforBlackWomenplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-17:35repeatByVivianBournazian2010-3-27Photo:A11.eIiaBundles/WalkerFamilyArchives/MadamCJ.WalkerwasthefirstAfrican-Americanwomantobecomeveryrich.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITHJ'mShirleyGriffith.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:AndmRichKleinfeldtwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOP1.EINAMERICA.Everyweek,wetellthestoryofsomeoneimportantinthehistoryoftheUnitedStates.TodaywetellaboutMadamC.J.WaIker.Shewasabusinesswoman,thefirstfemaleAfricanAmericantobecomeveryrich.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Intheearlynineteenhundreds,lifeformostAfrican-Americanswasverydifficult.Mobsofwhitepeopleattackedandkilledblackpeople.Itwaslegaltoseparategroupsofpeoplebyrace.Women,bothblackandwhite,didnothavethesamerightsasmen.Blackwomenworkedverylonghoursforlittlewages.Theyworkedmostlyasservantsorfarmworkers.Ortheywashedclothes.MadamC.J.Walkerworkedasawasherwomanfortwentyyears.Shethenstartedherownbusinessofdevelopingandsellinghair-careproductsforblackwomen.MadamWalker,however,didmorethanbuildasuccessfulbusiness.Herproductshelpedwomenhaveabettersenseoftheirownbeauty.Herbusinessalsogaveworktomanyblackwomen.And,shehelpedotherpeople,especiallyblackartistsandcivilrightssupporters.Shesaid:"Myobjectinlifeisnotsimplytomakemoneyformyselfortospenditonmyself.IlovetouseapartofwhatImakeintryingtohelpothers."(MUSIC)RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:MadamC.J.Walkerwasverypoorformostofherlife.ShewasbornSarahBreedloveinthesouthernstateof1.ouisianaineighteensixty-seven.Herparentswereformerslaves.ThefamilylivedandworkedonacottonfarmalongtheMississippiRiver.Cottonwasacropthatgrewwellintherich,darksoilneartheriver.Mostchildrenofslavesdidnotgotoschool.Theyhadtowork.BythetimeSarahwasfiveyearsold,shewaspickingcottoninthefieldswithherfamily.Shealsohelpedhermotherandsisterearnmoneybywashingclothesforwhitepeople.Therewasnowaterormachinetowashclothesintheirhome.ThewaterfromtheMississippiRiverwastoodirty.So,theyusedrainwater.Sarahhelpedhermotherandsistercarrywatertofillbigwoodencontainers.Theyheatedthewateroverthefire.Thentheyrubbedtheclothesonflatpiecesofwood,squeezedoutthewaterandhungeachpiecetodry.Itwashardwork.Thewetclotheswereheavy,andthesoaphadIyeinit.1.yeisastrongsubstancethatcleanedtheclotheswell.Butithurtpeople'sskin.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:WhenSarahwassevenyearsold,herparentsdiedofthediseaseyellowfever.SheandhersistermovedtoVicksburg,Mississippi.Attheageoffourteen,SarahmarriedMosesMcWilliams.Theyhadadaughteraftertheyweremarriedforthreeyears.Theynamedtheirdaughter1.elia.Twoyearslater;MosesMcWilliamsdiedinanaccident.Sarahwasalonewithherbaby.ShedecidedtomovetoSaint1.ouis,Missouri.Shehadheardthatwasherwomenearnedmoremoneythere.Sarahwashedclothesallday.Atnight,shewenttoschooltogettheeducationshehadmissedasachild.Shealsomadesurethatherdaughter1.eliawenttoschool.Sarahsavedenoughmoneytosend1.eliatocollege.Sarahbegantothinkabouthowshewasgoingtocontinuetoearnmoneyinthefuture.Whatwasshegoingtodowhenshegrewoldandherbackgrewweak?Shealsoworriedaboutherhair.Itwasdryandbroken.Herhairwasfallingoutinsomeplacesonherhead.Sarahtrieddifferentproductstoimproveherhairbutnothingworked.Thenshegotanidea.Ifshecouldcreateahairproductthatworkedforher,shecouldstartherownbusiness.(MUSIC)A11.eIiaBundles/WalkerFamilyArchives/RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:Attheageofthirty-seven,Sarahinventedamixturethathelpedherhairandmadecurlyhairstraight.SomepeoplebelievethatSarahstudiedthehairproductsheusedandaddedherown"secret"substance.ButSarahsaidsheinventedthemixturewithGod'shelp.Bysolvingherhairproblem,shehadfoundawaytoimproveherlife.SarahdecidedtomovewesttoDenver,Colorado.ShedidnotwanttocompetewithcompaniesinSaint1.ouisthatmadehair-careproducts.Forthefirsttimeinherlife,SarahlefttheareaalongtheMississippiRiverwhereshewasborn.SarahfoundajobinDenverasacook.Shecookedandwashedclothesduringtheday.Atnightsheworkedonherhairproducts.Shetestedthemonherselfandonherfriends.Theproductshelpedtheirhair.Sarahbegansellingherproductsfromhousetohouse.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Innineteen-oh-six,shemarriedCharlesJosephWalker.Hewasanewspapermanwhohadbecomeherfriendandadviser.Fromthenon,SarahusedthenameMadamC.J.Walker.MadamWalkerorganizedwomentosellherhairtreatment.SheestablishedWalkerschoolsofbeautyculturethroughoutthecountrytotrainthesaleswomen.Thesaleswomenbecameknownas"WalkerAgents."TheybecamepopularinblackcommunitiesthroughouttheUnitedStates.MadamWalkerworkedhardatherbusiness.ShetraveledtomanyAmericancitiestohelpsellherproducts.ShealsotraveledtotheCaribbeancountriesofJamaica,Panama,andCuba.Herproductshadbecomepopularthere,too.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:MadamWalker'sbusinessgrewquickly.Itsoonwasemployingthreethousandpeople.BlackwomenwhocouldnotattendherschoolscouldlearntheWalkerhaircaremethodthroughacoursebymail.Hundreds,andlaterthousands,ofblackwomenlearnedherhair-caremethods.MadamWalker'sproductshelpedthesewomenearnmoneytoeducatetheirchildren,buildhomesandstartbusinesses.MadamWalkerwasveryproudofwhatshehaddone.Shesaidthatshehadmadeitpossible"formanycoloredwomentoabandonthewashtubformorepleasantandprofitableoccupations."(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:Innineteen-oh-eight,MadamWalkermovedherbusinesseasttoPittsburgh,Pennsylvania.PittsburghwasclosertocitiesontheAtlanticcoastwithlargeblackpopulations,citiessuchasNewYork,Washington,D.C.andBaltimore.Twoyearslater;sheestablishedalaboratoryandafactoryinIndianapolis,Indiana.There,herproductsweredevelopedandmade.SomepeoplecriticizedMadamWalker'sproducts.Theyaccusedherofstraighteningblackwomen'shairtomakeitlooklikewhitewomen'shair.SomeblackclergymensaidthatifblackpeopleweresupposedtohavestraighthaiGodwouldhavegivenittothem.ButMadamWalkersaidherpurposewastohelpwomenhavehealthyhair.Shealsosaidcleanlinesswasimportant.Sheestablishedrulesforcleanlinessforheremployees.Herruleslaterledtostatelawscoveringjobsinvolvingbeautytreatment.RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:MadamC.J.Walkerbecameveryrichandfamous.Sheenjoyedhernewlife.Shealsosharedhermoney.Shebecameoneofthefewblackpeopleatthetimewealthyenoughtogivehugeamountsofmoneytohelppeopleandorganizations.ShegavemoneytotheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancementofColoredPeople,tochurchesandtoculturalcenters.MadamWalkeralsosupportedmanyblackartistsandwriters.And,sheworkedhardtoendviolationsagainsttherightsofblackpeople.Innineteenseventeen,shewaspartofagroupthatwenttoWashington,D.C.tomeetwithPresidentWoodrowWilson.ThegroupurgedhimandCongresstomakemobviolenceafederalcrime.Innineteeneighteen,MadamWalkerfinallysettledinatownnearNewYorkCitywhereshebuiltalarge,beautifulhouse.Shecontinuedherwork,butherhealthbegantoweaken.Herdoctorsadvisedhertoslowdown.Butshewouldnotlisten.Shediedthenextyear.Shewasfifty-oneyearsold.(MUSIC)SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:MadamC.J.Walkerneverforgotwhereshecamefrom.Nordidshestopdreamingofhowlifecouldbe.AtameetingoftheNationalNegroBusiness1.eague,MadamWalkerexplainedthatshewasawomanwhocamefromthecottonfieldsoftheSouth."Iwaspromotedfromtheretothewashtubj'shesaid,"ThenIwaspromotedtothecookkitchen,andfromthereIpromotedmyselfintothebusinessofmanufacturinghairgoodsandpreparations.Ihavebuiltmyownfactoryonmyownground."Shenotonlyimprovedherownlife,butthatofotherwomeninsimilarsituations.MadamC.J.Walkerexplaineditthisway:"IfIhaveaccomplishedanythinginlife,itisbecauseIhavebeenwillingtoworkhard.,(MUSIC)RICHK1.EINFE1.DT:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramwaswrittenbyVivianBournazian.I'mRichKleinfeldt.SHIR1.EYGRIFFITH:AndmShirleyGriffith.JoinusagainnextweekatthistimeforanotherPEOP1.EINAMERICAprogramontheVoiceofAmerica.