Maggie Lena Walker (1864–1934) - Encyclopedia Virginia (2024)

Summary

Maggie Lena Walker was an important African American leader. She broke unfair laws and became the first Black woman to start a bank in the nation. She was also the first Black woman to be the president of a bank. Walker’s bank was called the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond. It was the oldest bank led by an African American in the United States. Walker became the leader of the Independent Order of Saint Luke. She organized projects that helped the African American community. Her leadership set an example for many other women. As an African American woman living in the South, she faced many obstacles in her life. However, Walker encouraged investment and collective action. She helped bring important changes for African Americans.

In This Entry

• Map
• Timeline
• Further Reading

Contributor: Muriel Miller Branch

Early Years and Family

Maggie Lena Mitchell was born on July 15, 1864 in Richmond, Virginia. Her mother, Elizabeth Draper, was a former slave. Her mother worked as a cook for Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist and Union spy for the during theCivil War. Soon after Walker was born, her mother married a man named William Mitchell. The couple had a child, Maggie’s half-brother, Johnnie, in 1870.

Her stepfather left the Van Lew home and became the headwaiter at a respected hotel. The family was able to rent a small house. In February 1876, William Mitchell died. His death drove the family into poverty. As a way for the family to provide for themselves, Maggie’s mother began a small laundry business. Maggie helped by bringing clean laundry to white customers. This allowed her to see the unfairness between the races.

In her later years, Walker said, “I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but with a laundry basket practically on my head.”

Walker went to a public school for African Americans in Richmond. She then went to Richmond Colored Normal School, where she was trained as a teacher. After graduating in 1883, she became a teacher and taught for three years. In 1886, she married Armstead Walker Jr., who worked in his family’s business. However, Maggie’s job had a rule that banned married women from being employed. She was forced to quit her teaching job. The couple had three sons. Russell Eccles Talmadge Walker was born in 1890. Armstead Mitchell Walker was born in 1893 but died seven months later. Their youngest son, Melvin DeWitt Walker, was born in 1897. The Walkers had one adopted daughter, Polly Anderson.

In 1904 the Walkers bought a home in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood. This neighborhood was called the “Harlem of the South.” The Walkers opened their home to many family members including their children and grandchildren. Over time, the home expanded from nine to twenty-eight rooms to make space for the rapidly growing family.

The Independent Order of Saint Luke

In 1881, Walker joined the Independent Order of Saint Luke, a group that helped Black Americans come together. Over time, Walker became an important leader in the order. In 1895, she started the Juvenile Branch of the Independent Order of Saint Luke.

The Juvenile Branch helped young African Americans build pride and confidence. The branch stressed the importance of education and community service.

The Independent Order was about to go bankrupt. Just before the order ran out of money, Walker was elected as Grand Secretary. By that time, Walker had served in many different roles in the order. She had many experiences to bring to her new leadership role. She spent the rest of her life helping the organization to grow. Under Walker’s leadership, the order’s money problems were turned around.

On August 20, 1901, she gave a speech about her vision for the order. She wanted to expand the organization even more. Her vision included building a bank and starting a newspaper

. She also had an idea for a store to offer job opportunities to African Americans. The store would carry goods that Black consumers wanted at more affordable prices. Bringing together communication, money, and business would help the Black community become more independent and successful. In five years, Walker brought her vision to life. TheSt. Luke Heraldnewspaper began in 1902.

The Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank opened for business in November 1903. Walker’s department store, Saint Luke Emporium, was up and running by April 1905.

Walker said: “Let us put our moneys together… Let us have a bank that will take the nickels and turn them into dollars.” She wanted young members to start early by opening bank accounts. Her hope was that they would be more independent and not have to rely on white employers. The bank was successful and helped Richmond’s Black community. It even led to more Black families being able to buy homes. During theGreat Depression, while other banks failed, Walker kept the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank alive. The bank continues to exist and was the oldest bank in the United States run by African Americans.

Challenges and Politics

The white community and Virginia’s government challenged her vision. Virginia made a rule that the order and the St. Luke bank had to be separated. The Saint Luke Emporium struggled from its beginnings. White storeowners opposed the emporium. Some Black consumers continued to shop at white stores. Some may have been afraid of what might happen if they did not keep shopping at the white stores. As a result, the emporium could not make money and was forced to close in 1911.

Walker also faced misfortune and tragedy. In 1915, Maggie’s husband was killed in an accident. Years later, her son, Russell Walker died in 1923. Walker developed diabetes and,

because of her poor health and a leg wound that never healed, spent the last ten years of her life in a wheelchair.

Walker’s reputation as a powerful speaker and business leader continued to grow. She became an activist against discrimination and segregation. She cofounded the Richmond Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Council of Colored Women. She also helped organize a boycott against segregated seating on streetcars in Richmond. Walker hoped to become the leader of public education in Virginia. She ran for this position withJohn Mitchell Jr., who was running for Governor. However, all of the Black Republicans lost. Discouraged by politics, she continued to work for change in her community. She also was a strong supporter of theantilynchingmovement.

Legacy

Maggie Lena Walker died on December 15, 1934. Her funeral was held at Richmond’s First African Baptist Church. Her home was bought by the National Park Service in 1979. It is now a National Historic Site. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies, a college prep school, was founded in 1991.

Summary

Maggie Lena Walker was an African American entrepreneur and civic leader. She broke traditional discriminatory laws by becoming the first Black woman to establish and become president of a bank in the United States—the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank in Richmond. As of 2010, when it was known as Consolidated Bank and Trust Company, it was the oldest African American–operated bank in the United States. As grand secretary of the Independent Order of Saint Luke, Walker also was vital in organizing enterprises that advanced the African American community while expanding the public role of women. An African American woman in the post–Civil War South, she faced social, economic, and political barriers in her life and business ventures. However, Walker encouraged investment and collective action and achieved important improvements for African Americans.

In This Entry

• Map
• Timeline
• Further Reading

Contributor: Muriel Miller Branch

Early Years and Family

Maggie Lena Mitchell was born on July 15, 1864 on the Van Lew estate in Richmond. Mitchell’s mother, Elizabeth Draper, was a formerly enslaved woman who worked as an assistant cook for Elizabeth Van Lew, an abolitionist,Unionist, and spy for the Union during theAmerican Civil War(1861–1865). In the Van Lew house Draper met Eccles Cuthbert, an Irish American who reported from Virginia for theNew York Herald. Although Cuthbert was Walker’s biological father, there is no record that suggests Cuthbert and Draper married. Soon after Walker was born Draper married William Mitchell, who worked for the Van Lew household as a butler. The couple had a child, Walker’s half-brother, Johnnie Mitchell, in 1870.

William Mitchell left the Van Lew household and became the headwaiter at the prestigious Saint Charles Hotel. The family was able to set out and rent a small house in College Alley near the Medical College of Virginia. In February 1876, William Mitchell’s body was found drowned in the James River. While authorities claimed the death was a suicide, Walker’s mother insisted that he had been murdered. William Mitchell’s death plunged his widow and her two children into poverty. As a way for the family to provide for themselves, Elizabeth Mitchell began a small laundry business. Walker assisted by returning clean laundry to white patrons. This allowed her to observe the economic and social differences between the races. Her childhood left such an impression on Walker that years later, in 1904, she recalled, “I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but with a laundry basket practically on my head.”

Walker attended newly built public schools for African Americans in Richmond. She went on to attend Richmond Colored Normal School, where she was trained as a teacher. After graduating in 1883, she taught for three years at the Valley School. In 1886, she married Armstead Walker Jr., who worked in his family’s construction and bricklaying business. However, due to a policy that banned the employment of married women, she was forced to quit her teaching position. The couple had three sons—Russell Eccles Talmadge Walker was born in 1890; Armstead Mitchell Walker was born in 1893, but died seven months later; and their youngest son, Melvin DeWitt Walker, was born in 1897. The Walkers had one adopted daughter, Polly Anderson.

In 1904 the Walkers purchased their family home at in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood, which was dubbed the “Harlem of the South.” The Walkers opened their home to numerous family members including their children and grandchildren. Over time, the home expanded from nine to twenty-eight rooms to accommodate the rapidly growing family.

The Independent Order of Saint Luke

In 1881, Walker had joined the Independent Order of Saint Luke, an African American fraternal society. Walker rose through the Independent Order’s ranks and used her positions to influence young people. In 1895, as grand deputy matron, she started the Juvenile Branch of the Independent Order of Saint Luke.

The Juvenile Branch was meant to build a sense of community and confidence in young African Americans. The branch stressed the importance of education and community service. To emphasize her belief that the future success of the order came from investing in youth, Walker adopted the motto: “As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.”

Just before the Independent Order went bankrupt, Walker was elected as Grand Secretary. Walker spent sixteen years in different positions and brought a diversity of perspectives to her new role. She devoted the rest of her life to building membership and resources, expanding activities in business and social service, and keeping the financial operations efficient.

Under Walker’s guidance, the order’s fortunes were completely reversed. Over her twenty-five years of leadership, it collected nearly $3.5 million, claimed 100,000 members, and built up almost $100,000 in reserve.

On August 20, 1901, she gave a now-famous speech before the Independent Order’s council. She declared her vision to take the organization to greater heights. Her vision included a bank founded and operated by the order’s members and a newspaper to share the good news of the order. She also envisioned a department store run by Black employees with goods Black consumers wanted at more affordable prices. Through this merging of communication, money, and industry, the African American community could become financially independent, mobilized, and self-sustaining. Within five years, Walker brought her vision to life. TheSt. Luke Heraldbegan operation in 1902, the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank opened for business in November 1903, and the Saint Luke Emporium was in operation by April 1905.

Walker declared: “Let us put our moneys together… Let us have a bank that will take the nickels and turn them into dollars.” She encouraged young members to start early by opening bank accounts so that their money would grow as they grew. Her hope was that they would be able to achieve economic independence from white employers. The bank’s success was one ingredient that ensured the stability of Richmond’s Black middle class. It also helped increase Black home ownership in the city. During theGreat Depression, while other banks failed, Walker kept the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank alive. She did this by merging it with two other banks to create the Consolidated Bank and Trust Company in 1930. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the bank continued to exist and was the oldest bank in the United States that has been continuously run by African Americans.

Challenges and Politics

Walker’s successes were extraordinary, particularly given the social and political environment of that time. But the white community and Virginia’s state government certainly challenged her vision. After the failure of the United Order of True Reformers’ bank in 1910, Virginia directed fraternal societies and financial institutions to be separate. The St. Luke bank became officially separate from the order. The Saint Luke Emporium struggled from its beginnings. White retailers organized to oppose the emporium and some Black consumers continued to shop at white retailers (perhaps fearing consequences if they did not). As a result, the emporium could not make money and was forced to close its doors in 1911.

Walker also faced misfortune and tragedy. In June 1915 Russell Walker shot and killed his father after mistaking him for an intruder. After five months awaiting trial, he was declared innocent. Russell Walker never recovered from the accident. After eight years battling depression and alcoholism, he died on November 23, 1923. Walker developed diabetes and, because of her failing health and a leg wound that never healed, spent the last decade of her life in a wheelchair.

Walker’s reputation as a powerful speaker and entrepreneur continued to grow. She took on major civic issues and became an activist against discrimination and segregation.

She cofounded the Richmond Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Council of Colored Women. She helped organize the 1904 boycott that protested segregated seating on Richmond streetcars. The boycott was so successful that the company went out of business within the year. In 1921 Walker ran on the “Lily Black” Republicanticket withJohn Mitchell Jr., editor and publisher of theRichmond Planet. With Mitchell running for governor, Walker hoped to be superintendent of public instruction; however, all of the Black Republicans lost. Disillusioned by politics, she continued to work for change within her community. She was a major contributor to the Industrial Home for Wayward Girls. She also was an ardent supporter of theantilynchingmovement.

Legacy

Maggie Lena Walker died on December 15, 1934, of gangrene caused by diabetes. Her funeral was held at Richmond’s First African Baptist Church (where she had been a longtime member). Her home at East Leigh Street was purchased by the National Park Service in 1979 and converted into a National Historic Site. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies, a college preparatory school partially funded by the state, was established in 1991.