Faced with the oppressive challenges that plagued Maggie Walker (1864-1934), most people would react with defeatist resignation or bitter resentment. Not so with this enterprising pioneer, the first African-American woman to charter a bank, which she founded to foster black entrepreneurism during the dreadful Jim Crow era. Devoted to public service, Walker took over a bankrupt charitable organization and transformed it into a 100,000 member organization spanning 24 states, and launched its bank,
Faced with the oppressive challenges that plagued Maggie Walker (1864-1934), most people would react with defeatist resignation or bitter resentment. Not so with this enterprising pioneer, the first African-American woman to charter a bank, which she founded to foster black entrepreneurism during the dreadful Jim Crow era. Devoted to public service, Walker took over a bankrupt charitable organization and transformed it into a 100,000 member organization spanning 24 states, and launched its bank,…
