“America doesn’t respect anything but money. What our people need is a few millionaires.”
Those are words attributed to Madam CJ Walker, the country’s first self-made female millionaire and a titan in entrepreneurial history. When putting together a list of iconic American women who helped shape the United States, it seems impossible not to acknowledge Walker.
And yet, she does not appear on our Women of the Century national or state lists. The parameters set included being alive between 1920 and 2020. Walker died of kidney failure at age 51 in 1919, which means she barely missed the cut.
Still, as public submissions flooded in, our audience wanted to make sure we understood the power of Walker. A wide range of journalists – men and women from a variety of backgrounds across USA TODAY Network newsrooms – asked us to make an exception even before the Netflix series about her premiered in March.
Born Sarah Breedlove, Walker was determined to create opportunities for other Black women who had been pushed to the sidelines. The former laundress built her fortune by developing a line of hair care products that she marketed to Black women. But she didn’t do this solely to make a profit. She invited women who looked like her to join her and helped them create income. She recognized her power, and urged other Black women to recognize theirs, too.
Tyrone Freeman, an assistant professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis whose book on Walker publishes this fall, said that when talking about Walker, one must understand the historical context.
“This is the height of Jim Crow America: Racism and sexism are at full blast, and there’s severe limitations on Black life,” he said. “It’s not just about segregated neighborhoods – it’s a deprivation of resources, with limited economies and limited opportunities for Black people. She comes in and flips that dynamic on its head, and opens up opportunity in communities that are deliberately being discriminated against. That’s a big deal. It was a mark of pride to work for her.”
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Walker was deftly attuned to Black economic development. When she built her estate in Irvington, New York, she purposefully hired Black construction workers. She donated significant money to the NAACP and the anti-lynching movement and hosted suffrage meetings. She viewed herself as a “race woman,” Freeman said, dedicating herself to uplifting Black people.
Women of the Century: Recognizing the accomplishments of women from the last 100 years
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Her influence is still felt today. Walker paved the way for hundreds of other female entrepreneurs. Consider Tyra Banks, who is also missing from our lists. The first African American woman to be on the covers of Sports Illustrated and GQ taught young women everywhere that Black is beautiful and worthy. But she’s more than just one of the highest-paid models in the world – she’s a powerhouse businesswoman, too.
Some women missed the list because they came from more populous states, where narrowing the field to 10 was next to impossible. Martha Stewart was born in New Jersey but lived in New York as she revolutionized the idea of being a homemaker. But with so many innovative and courageous women from the same states, many didn't make our lists. There are so many women who have been innovators in entertainment like Cher, Madonna and writer and producer Shonda Rhimes, who created shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" – none of them made our lists, either.
Nominations that came from the public and suggestions from our panelists leaned heavily toward women who have broken barriers in male-dominated fields like sports, politics or science. Fields stereotypically considered “women’s work” like nursing, teaching and cooking are critical to our lives, but we had relatively few nominations in these areas.
Women known for beauty such as model-turned-businesswoman Kathy Ireland or fashion designers Vera Wang and Donna Karan don't appear. Groundbreaking politicians like Ann Richards, the former governor of Texas, and Geraldine Ferraro, the first female vice-presidential nominee on a major party ticket, are missing. The announcement of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden’s 2020 running mate came after the project was completed.
Some women are younger and we’re only starting to see what they’ll accomplish. We expect to hear a lot more from actresses, writers and producers Mindy Kaling and Issa Rae; soccer star and outspoken LGBTQ activist Megan Rapinoe; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; gun control advocate Emma Gonzalez, and others.
It’s impossible to pick a perfect list. What we know for sure is this: For decades, women have been pushed out of the spotlight. Often, they’re content to stay there, concerned more about the greater good than individual glory. Maybe that will change in the next 100 years. Maybe in the next century, there will be no missing women – because they’ll get the recognition they’ve always deserved.