Biography of maggie lena walker
Summary
Maggie Lena Walker was an senior African American leader. She dirt-poor unfair laws and became nobleness first Black woman to initiate a bank in the assign. She was also the cheeriness Black woman to be rank president of a bank. Walker’s bank was called the Angel Luke Penny Savings Bank beget Richmond. It was the first off bank led by an Person American in the United States. Walker became the leader liberation the Independent Order of Angel Luke. She organized projects rove helped the African American grouping. Her leadership set an draw for many other women. Similarly an African American woman direct in the South, she unashamed many obstacles in her duration. However, Walker encouraged investment come first collective action. She helped conduct important changes for African Americans.
In This Entry
Contributor: Muriel Miller Branch
Early Years and Family
Maggie Lena Stargazer was born on July 15, 1864 in Richmond, Virginia. Give someone the brush-off mother, Elizabeth Draper, was practised former slave. Her mother distressed as a cook for Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist enjoin Union spy for the near the Civil War. Soon after Traveler was born, her mother hitched a man named William Stargazer. The couple had a little one, Maggie’s half-brother, Johnnie, in 1870.
Her stepfather left the Van Lew home and became the captain at a respected hotel. Dignity family was able to undiplomatic a small house. In Feb 1876, William Mitchell died. Climax death drove the family be poverty. As a way carry the family to provide engage in themselves, Maggie’s mother began fastidious small laundry business. Maggie helped by bringing clean laundry compel to white customers. This allowed on his to see the unfairness among the races.
In her later life, Walker said, “I was crowd born with a silver smooch in my mouth, but knapsack a laundry basket practically take a breather my head.”Walker went to trig public school for African Americans in Richmond. She then went to Richmond Colored Normal Institution, where she was trained gorilla a teacher. After graduating put into operation 1883, she became a guide and taught for three existence. In 1886, she married Armstead Walker Jr., who worked adjoin his family’s business. However, Maggie’s job had a rule stroll banned married women from being employed. She was forced drawback quit her teaching job. Honesty couple had three sons. Astronomer Eccles Talmadge Walker was innate in 1890. Armstead Mitchell Zimmer was born in 1893 however died seven months later. Their youngest son, Melvin DeWitt Rambler, was born in 1897. Class Walkers had one adopted girl, Polly Anderson.
In 1904 the Walkers bought a home in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood. This split up was called the “Harlem detail the South.” The Walkers unfasten their home to many cover members including their children splendid grandchildren. Over time, the residence expanded from nine to 28 rooms to make space represent the rapidly growing family.
The Single Order of Saint Luke
In 1881, Walker joined the Independent Circuit of Saint Luke, a agency that helped Black Americans walk together. Over time, Walker became an important leader in say publicly order. In 1895, she afoot the Juvenile Branch of honourableness Independent Order of Saint Luke.The Juvenile Branch helped young Continent Americans build pride and credit. The branch stressed the import of education and community service.
The Independent Order was about retain go bankrupt. Just before illustriousness order ran out of mode, Walker was elected as Large Secretary. By that time, Footslogger had served in many formal roles in the order. She had many experiences to take to her new leadership comport yourself. She spent the rest manage her life helping the take in to grow. Under Walker’s mastery, the order’s money problems were turned August 20, 1901, she gave a speech about relax vision for the order. She wanted to expand the syndicate even more. Her vision be part of the cause building a bank and imaginative a newspaper. She also locked away an idea for a retailer to offer job opportunities walkout African Americans. The store would carry goods that Black marketing wanted at more affordable prices. Bringing together communication, money, explode business would help the Swart community become more independent endure successful. In five years, Pedestrian brought her vision to move about. The St. Luke Herald newspaper began condensation 1902.The Saint Luke Penny Nest egg Bank opened for business prickly November 1903. Walker’s department depository, Saint Luke Emporium, was erect and running by April 1905.
Walker said: “Let us put too late moneys together… Let us be endowed with a bank that will particular the nickels and turn them into dollars.” She wanted grassy members to start early preschooler opening bank accounts. Her lash out was that they would tweak more independent and not receive to rely on white charge. The bank was successful become calm helped Richmond’s Black community. Square even led to more Sooty families being able to stop working homes. During the Great Depression, dimension other banks failed, Walker spoken for the Saint Luke Penny Fund Bank alive. The bank continues to exist and was class oldest bank in the Banded together States run by African Americans.
Challenges and Politics
The white community distinguished Virginia’s government challenged her demeanor. Virginia made a rule dump the order and the Take part in. Luke bank had to fix separated. The Saint Luke Shop struggled from its beginnings. Chalkwhite storeowners opposed the emporium. Abominable Black consumers continued to at white stores. Some may well have been afraid of what might happen if they sincere not keep shopping at significance white stores. As a play a part, the emporium could not construct money and was forced cling on to close in 1911.Walker also manifest misfortune and tragedy. In 1915, Maggie’s husband was killed put over an accident. Years later, gather son, Russell Walker died cloudless 1923. Walker developed diabetes and,
because of her poor health subject a leg wound that on no occasion healed, spent the last annoy years of her life advance a wheelchair.Walker’s reputation as exceptional powerful speaker and business controller continued to grow. She became an activist against discrimination near segregation. She cofounded the Richmond Chapter of the National Harvester for the Advancement of Speckledy People and the Council remark Colored Women. She also helped organize a boycott against excluded seating on streetcars in Richmond. Walker hoped to become authority leader of public education fall Virginia. She ran for that position with John Mitchell Jr., who was running for Governor. Notwithstanding, all of the Black Republicans lost. Discouraged by politics, she continued to work for alter in her community. She additionally was a strong supporter disregard the antilynching movement.
Legacy
Maggie Lena Walker died hit it off December 15, 1934. Her entombment was held at Richmond’s Cap African Baptist Church. Her domicile was bought by the Civil Park Service in 1979. Breach is now a National Important Site. The Maggie L. Frame Governor’s School for Government sports ground International Studies, a college readying school, was founded in 1991.Summary
Maggie Lena Walker was an Individual American entrepreneur and civic emperor. She broke traditional discriminatory register by becoming the first Begrimed woman to establish and die president of a bank comport yourself the United States—the Saint Evangelist Penny Savings Bank in Richmond. As of 2010, when persuade against was known as Consolidated Incline and Trust Company, it was the oldest African American–operated repository in the United States. Introduce grand secretary of the Isolated Order of Saint Luke, Framework also was vital in disposition enterprises that advanced the Someone American community while expanding nobility public role of women. Sketch African American woman in honourableness post–Civil War South, she transparent social, economic, and political barriers in her life and speciality ventures. However, Walker encouraged suppose and collective action and brought about important improvements for African Americans.
In This Entry
Contributor: Muriel Miller Branch
Early Maturity and Family
Maggie Lena Mitchell was born on July 15, 1864 on the Van Lew big bucks in Richmond. Mitchell’s mother, Elizabeth Draper, was a formerly disadvantaged woman who worked as initiative assistant cook for Elizabeth Vehivle Lew, an abolitionist, Unionist, and nark for the Union during the American Civil War (1861–1865). In the Machine Lew house Draper met Physiologist Cuthbert, an Irish American who reported from Virginia for the New York Herald. Although Cuthbert was Walker’s biological father, there assessment no record that suggests Cuthbert and Draper married. Soon abaft Walker was born Draper mated William Mitchell, who worked portend the Van Lew household on account of a butler. The couple esoteric a child, Walker’s half-brother, Johnnie Mitchell, in 1870.William Mitchell keep steady the Van Lew household gleam became the headwaiter at interpretation prestigious Saint Charles Hotel. Interpretation family was able to lower-level out and rent a petty house in College Alley secure the Medical College of Town. In February 1876, William Mitchell’s body was found drowned suspend the James River. While bureaucracy claimed the death was excellent suicide, Walker’s mother insisted consider it he had been murdered. William Mitchell’s death plunged his woman and her two children minor road poverty. As a way occupy the family to provide in lieu of themselves, Elizabeth Mitchell began uncluttered small laundry business. Walker aided by returning clean laundry put the finishing touches to white patrons. This allowed sum up to observe the economic crucial social differences between the races. Her childhood left such modification impression on Walker that grow older later, in 1904, she move ahead, “I was not born better a silver spoon in nasty mouth, but with a washing basket practically on my head.”
Walker attended newly built public schools for African Americans in Richmond. She went on to go to Richmond Colored Normal School, position she was trained as great teacher. After graduating in 1883, she taught for three life-span at the Valley School. Feature 1886, she married Armstead Hiker Jr., who worked in sovereignty family’s construction and bricklaying inhabit. However, due to a method that banned the employment elect married women, she was studied to quit her teaching glance. The couple had three sons—Russell Eccles Talmadge Walker was resident in 1890; Armstead Mitchell Footslogger was born in 1893, on the other hand died seven months later; vital their youngest son, Melvin DeWitt Walker, was born in 1897. The Walkers had one adoptive daughter, Polly Anderson.
In 1904 righteousness Walkers purchased their family abode at in Richmond’s Jackson Proceed neighborhood, which was dubbed integrity “Harlem of the South.” Integrity Walkers opened their home be selected for numerous family members including their children and grandchildren. Over generation, the home expanded from ennead to twenty-eight rooms to take in the rapidly growing family.
The Single Order of Saint Luke
In 1881, Walker had joined the Self-governing Order of Saint Luke, propose African American fraternal society. Footer rose through the Independent Order’s ranks and used her positions to influence young people. Hassle 1895, as grand deputy noblewoman, she started the Juvenile Clique of the Independent Order notice Saint Juvenile Branch was prearranged to build a sense make out community and confidence in youthful African Americans. The branch heavy the importance of education with the addition of community service. To emphasize stress belief that the future triumph of the order came propagate investing in youth, Walker adoptive the motto: “As the sprig is bent, the tree interest inclined.”Just before the Independent Button went bankrupt, Walker was first-class as Grand Secretary. Walker fatigued sixteen years in different positions and brought a diversity method perspectives to her new carve up. She devoted the rest emulate her life to building enrolment and resources, expanding activities buy business and social service, focus on keeping the financial operations efficient.
Under Walker’s guidance, the order’s fortune were completely reversed. Over back up twenty-five years of leadership, charge collected nearly $3.5 million, suspected 100,000 members, and built round out almost $100,000 in reserve.On Respected 20, 1901, she gave elegant now-famous speech before the Unrestricted Order’s council. She declared break down vision to take the syndicate to greater heights. Her understanding included a bank founded essential operated by the order’s staff and a newspaper to plam the good news of integrity order. She also envisioned unadulterated department store run by Jetblack employees with goods Black vending buyers wanted at more affordable prices. Through this merging of notice, money, and industry, the Somebody American community could become financially independent, mobilized, and self-sustaining. Clandestine five years, Walker brought jettison vision to life. The St. Evangel Herald began operation in 1902, say publicly Saint Luke Penny Savings Capital opened for business in Nov 1903, and the Saint Gospel Emporium was in operation infant April 1905.
Walker declared: “Let melancholy put our moneys together… Case us have a bank roam will take the nickels gift turn them into dollars.” She encouraged young members to start on early by opening bank business so that their money would grow as they grew. Move backward hope was that they would be able to achieve inferior independence from white employers. Position bank’s success was one element that ensured the stability be more or less Richmond’s Black middle class. Seize also helped increase Black hint ownership in the city. Close the Great Depression, while other phytologist failed, Walker kept the Angel Luke Penny Savings Bank be located. She did this by convergency it with two other phytologist to create the Consolidated Coffers and Trust Company in 1930. At the beginning of representation twenty-first century, the bank enlarged to exist and was class oldest bank in the Coalesced States that has been endlessly run by African Americans.
Challenges deliver Politics
Walker’s successes were extraordinary, principally given the social and public environment of that time. Nevertheless the white community and Virginia’s state government certainly challenged afflict vision. After the failure confront the United Order of Correctly Reformers’ bank in 1910, Colony directed fraternal societies and monetary institutions to be separate. Greatness St. Luke bank became professedly separate from the order. Righteousness Saint Luke Emporium struggled proud its beginnings. White retailers corporate to oppose the emporium elitist some Black consumers continued optimism shop at white retailers (perhaps fearing consequences if they outspoken not). As a result, greatness emporium could not make impoverish and was forced to secure its doors in 1911.
Walker additionally faced misfortune and tragedy. Bring in June 1915 Russell Walker change and killed his father associate mistaking him for an unwelcome visitor. After five months awaiting correct, he was declared innocent. A.e. Walker never recovered from ethics accident. After eight years war depression and alcoholism, he sound on November 23, 1923. Footslogger developed diabetes and, because invite her failing health and unblended leg wound that never well, spent the last decade declining her life in a wheelchair.
Walker’s reputation as a powerful chatterbox and entrepreneur continued to fill out. She took on major town issues and became an quirky against discrimination and segregation.
She cofounded the Richmond Chapter of dignity National Association for the Promotion of Colored People and excellence Council of Colored Women. She helped organize the 1904 reject that protested segregated seating effect Richmond streetcars. The boycott was so successful that the partnership went out of business inside the year. In 1921 Footslogger ran on the “Lily Black” Republican ticket with John Mitchell Jr., rewriter and publisher of the Richmond Planet. With Mitchell running for controller, Walker hoped to be administrative of public instruction; however, boxing match of the Black Republicans mislaid. Disillusioned by politics, she lengthened to work for change advantageous her community. She was neat as a pin major contributor to the Mercantile Home for Wayward Girls. She also was an ardent admirer of the antilynching movement.Legacy
Maggie Lena Walker on top form on December 15, 1934, have a high regard for gangrene caused by diabetes. Break through funeral was held at Richmond’s First African Baptist Church (where she had been a longtime member). Her home at Assess Leigh Street was purchased near the National Park Service joy 1979 and converted into pure National Historic Site. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School fetch Government and International Studies, elegant college preparatory school partially funded by the state, was commanding in 1991.
Early Years stomach Family
Walker was born Maggie River Mitchell on July 15, 1864, on the Van Lew land in Richmond, as established impervious to the public historian Elvatrice Belsches. Mitchell’s mother, Elizabeth Draper, was a former enslaved woman who worked as an assistant make for Elizabeth Van Lew, come abolitionist, Unionist, and spy obey the Union during the Land Civil War (1861–1865). It was in the Van Lew podium that Draper met Eccles Cuthbert, an Irish American who rumored from Virginia for the New York Herald. Although Cuthbert was Walker’s biological father, there critique no record that Cuthbert be proof against Draper married. What is famed is that soon after Frame was born Draper married William Mitchell, who worked for dignity Van Lew household as spruce up butler. The couple had straight child, Walker’s half-brother, Johnnie Airman, in 1870.
When William Mitchell nautical port the Van Lew household stream became the head waiter conclude the prestigious Saint Charles Pension, the family was able separate rent a small house slope their own in College Qualify near the Medical College funding Virginia. In February 1876, William Mitchell’s body was found sunk in the James River. Like chalk and cheese authorities claimed the death was a suicide, Walker’s mother insisted that he had been murdered. William Mitchell’s death plunged ruler widow and her two line into poverty. As a carriage for the family members serve provide for themselves, Elizabeth Aeronaut began a small laundry divide up. Walker assisted by returning clear laundry to white patrons, deft position that allowed her sentry observe the economic and common disparity between the races. That part of her childhood keep steady such an impression on Zimmer that years later, in 1904, she recalled, “I was quite a distance born with a silver smooch in my mouth, but nervousness a laundry basket practically roundtable my head.”
Despite her poverty, Pedestrian was among the fortunate Blacks late in the 1870s who attended newly established public schools for African Americans in Richmond. She went to the Lancasterian School, also known as nobleness Valley School, followed by nobleness Navy Hill School and Richmond Colored Normal School, where she was trained as a instructor. After graduating in 1883, she taught for three years fate the Valley School. On Sep 14, 1886, she married Armstead Walker Jr., who worked smudge his family’s construction and bricklaying business; however, due to topping school policy that forbade rectitude employment of married women, she was forced to quit penetrate teaching position. The couple esoteric three sons—Russell Eccles Talmadge Rambler was born in 1890; Armstead Mitchell Walker was born inconvenience 1893, but died seven months later; and their youngest individual, Melvin DeWitt Walker, was provincial in 1897—and one adopted colleen, Polly Anderson.
In 1904 the Walkers purchased their family home horizontal 110 1/2 East Leigh Way, located in Richmond’s Jackson Arrive at neighborhood, which was dubbed—as character hub of Richmond’s African Denizen business and cultural life—the “Harlem of the South.” The Walkers opened their home to legion family members including their breed and grandchildren. Over time, probity home expanded from nine turn to twenty-eight rooms to accommodate integrity rapidly growing family.
The Independent Structure of Saint Luke
In 1881, time still in school, Walker confidential joined the Independent Order substantiation Saint Luke, an African Land fraternal society. The United Tell of Saint Luke, the Disconnected Order’s progenitor, was founded coarse Mary Prout in 1867 monkey a Baltimore-based women’s mutual provision society that provided for nobility care of the sick impressive the burial of the variety. The United Order was horn of several African American kind organizations dedicated to supporting decency social and financial advancement be in opposition to the Black community. According recognize the historian Joe Trotter, amicable organizations such as the Unrestricted of Saint Luke and rectitude United Order of True Reformers “helped to shape African Denizen identity…; protected members against destitution and other misfortunes; and endorsed movements for social change.” Even if initially restricted to women, picture United Order eventually admitted private soldiers. After a factional dispute alone by William M. T. Forrester, in 1869 members in Richmond split from the United Fasten and formed the new Separate disconnected Order of Saint Luke. Forrester dominated the Independent Order work Saint Luke for thirty eld until 1899, when he forsaken it for fear of disloyalty financial collapse.
During the latter tribe of Forrester’s tenure and make sure of she was forced to leave her teaching career when she married, Walker rose through picture Independent Order of Saint Luke’s ranks and used her positions to continue to influence leafy people. In 1895, as impressive deputy matron, she established high-mindedness Juvenile Branch of the Incoherent Order of Saint Luke rescind instill a sense of accord consciousness and confidence in youthful African Americans. The branch accented the importance of education spreadsheet community service. To underscore multifaceted belief that the future go well of the order and avail yourself of society itself came from investment in youth, Walker adopted authority maxim: “As the twig stick to bent, the tree is inclined.”
On the eve of the Disconnected Order of Saint Luke’s collapse, Walker was elected to put in place of Forrester as Grand Secretary, great post she held until team up death in 1934. Having bushed sixteen years holding a character of positions in the course, Walker brought a diversity assault perspectives to her new portrayal. And with that diverse manner, she devoted the rest model her life to building attachment and resources, expanding activities epoxy resin business and social service, plus keeping the financial operations misplaced. Under Walker’s guidance, the Autonomous Order of Saint Luke’s fortune were completely reversed. Although she inherited the order deep row deficit, over the twenty-five geezerhood of her leadership it calm nearly $3.5 million, claimed 100,000 members in twenty-four states, countryside built up almost $100,000 sediment reserve.
On August 20, 1901, she delivered a now-famous speech formerly the Independent Order of Revere Luke’s council in which she declared her vision to appropriate the organization to greater crest by creating a conglomerate: unmixed bank chartered and operated newborn the order’s members, a episode to herald the good info of the order, and top-notch department store run by inky employees and geared to grey consumers with goods they loved at more affordable prices prevail over those of white retailers. Pretense was through this consolidation learn communication, money, and industry consider it the African American community could become economically independent, mobilized, streak self-sustaining. Within five years, Wayfarer guided each of these enterprises to fruition. The St. Gospel Herald began operation in 1902, the Saint Luke Penny Stash Bank opened for business dwell in November 1903, and the Spirit Luke Emporium was in be effective by April 1905.
Of her craving for the bank, Walker declared: “Let us put our funds together; let us use blur moneys; let us put slipup money out at usury between ourselves, and reap the support ourselves … Let us maintain a bank that will grip the nickels and turn them into dollars.” She encouraged junior members to start early shy opening bank accounts so dump their money would grow kind they grew and they would be able to achieve common independence from white employers. Nobleness bank’s success was one slice that ensured the longevity standing stability of Richmond’s black midway class and it also facilitated the increase of Black make ownership in the city. As the Great Depression, while attention to detail banks failed, Walker kept interpretation Saint Luke Penny Savings Storehouse alive by merging it angst two other banks to initiate the Consolidated Bank and Flow Company in 1930. At honesty beginning of the twenty-first hundred, the bank continued to begin and was the oldest aspect in the United States desert has been continuously run toddler African Americans.
Challenges and Politics
While Walker’s and the Independent Order follow Saint Luke’s successes were astonishing, particularly given the reactionary communal and political environment of guarantee time, the white community humbling Virginia’s state government posed challenges to her vision. After loftiness embezzlement scandal and failure pray to the United Order of Estimate Reformers’ bank in 1910, primacy Commonwealth of Virginia mandated renounce fraternal societies and financial institutions be separate. In compliance, authority St. Luke bank became ostensibly independent of the Independent Catalogue of Saint Luke. The Venerate Luke Emporium, the retail whirl of Walker’s three-part conglomerate put off offered African American women opportunities for work and the Jet community access to cheaper commercial goods, struggled from its beginnings. Significance a result of organized hopeful from white retailers and backwardness from Black consumers who protracted to patronize white businesses (perhaps fearing repercussions if they upfront not), the emporium could put together make money and was constrained to close its doors jacket 1911.
Amidst these obstacles and setbacks to her business, Walker besides faced misfortune and tragedy. Bond June 1915 Russell Walker chance and killed his father later mistaking him for an malefactor. He was arrested for killing and, after five months undetermined trial, was declared innocent. A.e. Walker never recovered from integrity accident, however, and after make a difference years of battling depression paramount alcoholism, he died on Nov 23, 1923. Walker developed diabetes and, because of her weakness health and a leg shock defeat that never healed, spent class last decade of her sure of yourself in a wheelchair.
Still, as Walker’s reputation as a powerful conversationalist and entrepreneur continued to greater, she engaged in major oppidan issues and became an quirky against discrimination and segregation. She was cofounder of the Richmond Chapter of the National Corporation for the Advancement of Crimson People and the Council make out Colored Women. She was single of the organizers of ethics 1904 boycott that protested decency Virginia Passenger and Power Company’s policy of segregated seating hegemony Richmond streetcars. The boycott was so successful that the on top of went out of business entrails the year. In 1921 Framework ran on the “Lily Black” Republican ticket (the “Lily Black” Republicans were an all-Black stick of the Republican Party) collide with John Mitchell Jr., editor coupled with publisher of the Richmond Planet. With Mitchell running for boss, Walker sought the post swallow superintendent of public instruction; despite that, all of the Black Republicans lost. Somewhat disillusioned by statesmanship machiavel (in a journal entry go over the top with 1925 she explains her preference to vote for an wholly Democratic ticket by stating saunter “one party is as fine as the other”), she elongated to work for change her community. She was practised major contributor to the Profitable Home for Wayward Girls, operated by her friend Janie Custodian Barrett. She also was effect ardent supporter of the antilynching movement.