I could never get enough of American History in high school! The class textbooks bored me to no end, but the history books and letters I sought after were fascinating! Having to read the standard class textbooks made me realize how important it is for American to do their OWN research. You can’t just go to Biography.com or Wikipedia to learn about these people. They deserve much more in-depth study to be truly appreciated and understood.
My textbooks left out so many incredible stories about our nation. It is no wonder why students dislike learning about their country’s history; the books are awful!!! Even worse, they downplay the achievements of American women throughout history. The narrative is that men were in complete dominance, but this narrative only scoffs at the women who achieved great things throughout our history. There are so many ladies I want to talk about, but here are a few of my favorites to start!
1. Madame C.J. Walker
This lady’s story is absolutely incredible. She was born on a Louisiana sharecropping plantation on December 23, 1867. Orphaned at age 7, she managed to scrape by working in the cotton fields of Mississippi. After the passing of her husband, she and her daughter joined her brothers in St. Louis to work in their barber shop. As her hair started to fall-out, she and her brothers concocted a scalp treatment for hair growth. Walker knew she had hit on a brilliant invention. She got her company up-and-running and traveled for a YEAR AND A HALF selling her products from door-to-door. Her hard work paid off as she was the first American female millionaire.
Settling in New York, Madame Walker now had all the beautiful clothes, extravagant houses, and professional acclaim she desired. Though now a member of upper class society, she never neglected to champion fair treatment for all people in America. She visited the White House in 1917 to advocate for anti-lynching legislation. She is an American women who embodied the Bible verse, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” (Luke 12:48)
Despite being born as a slave, Walker never harbored any bitterness. At the Madame C.J. Walker Hair Culturists Union of America Convention, she stated, “This is the greatest country under the sun. But we must not let our love of country, our patriotic loyalty cause us to abate one whit in our protest against wrong and injustice. We should protest until the American sense of justice is so aroused that such affairs as the East St. Louis riot be forever impossible.”
This lady is such an inspiration to me, and a CONSTANT reminder that it truly does not matter where you come from. ANYONE at ANYTIME can succeed in the United States.
To learn more:
Life Overview of Madame C.J. Walker
People whom Madame C.J. Walker knew and employed
2. Lucy Hayes
Lucy Hayes was unstoppable. She was the very first First Lady to have a college degree and even met her husband, Rutherford Birchard Hayes, as a college student.
To learn more:
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes | The White House
3. Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe is best known as the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” This novel has always been one of my favorites. It is beautifully written, and displays the views and hypocrisy by people in both the North and the South. Incredible read that will have you in tears by the last chapter!
To learn more:
Life – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
The links above are all good places to start, but PLEASE dig down deep into these women. Don’t just buy the first history book you see at Barnes and Nobles. Find these people’s letters and really get to know them! That is when American History is going to come alive 🙂
Happy Monday!
Madeline Eliza
2 Corinthians 3:17