Black Female Entrepreneurs

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Life Story: Maggie Walker

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This text is provided courtesy of the New-York Historical Society and adapted by ReadWorks.

Studio Portrait of Maggie L. Walker, early 20th century.

Courtesy of National Park Service, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site.

Studio Portrait of Maggie L. Walker, early 20th century.

Maggie Lena Draper was born in Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War. Her mother, Elizabeth Draper, was formerly enslaved. Elizabeth married William Mitchell after emancipation. William was a butler for a white family and later the headwaiter at one of Richmond’s best hotels. The family enjoyed modest financial...

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