Madame Walker was a St. Louis washerwoman turned entrepreneur, who in 1905 invented a method to soften and smooth black women's hair using hot combs, curlers, and pomades -- instead of a hot flat-iron.
By Mary Bellis, About.com Guide
Madame CJ Walker - BiographyOn Her Own Ground - The Life and Times of Madam C J WalkerBooks on Madame Walker - Compare Prices