Madam C.J. Walker’s American Dream

The dawn of the twentieth century bustled with excitement, and economic possibilities opened for all types of people in the United States. One woman would find her opportunity later in life to become one of the richest and most successful self-made businesswomen in the country.  Sarah Breedlove, born in 1867 on a plantation in Delta, Louisiana-the very same plantation her […]

North vs. South: The Textile Industry in the Postbellum Economy

Abstract The textile industry in the United States in the postbellum period witnessed forced changes to its methods after the Civil War. Some regional territories needed to reinvent themselves to survive the broken post-war economy. This study examines the textile industries in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Matoaca, Virginia. It seeks to understand the economic conditions surrounding the industry in the […]