The Astrology of Capricorns in Black Liberation: Madam CJ Walker
Madam CJ
Walker is the first American woman millionaire and also the first Black
American woman millionaire. Known for building a hair empire of Black American
hair products she used her earnings for charity and philanthropic causes that
will support black people.
Sarah
Breedlove aka Madam CJ Walker was born on December 23rd 1867 near
Delta, Mississippi plantation. She was born after slavery had ended and became
the first child by her parents born “free” (she was her parents 5th
child). Her mother died in 1874, a year later her father died so she was orphan
at age 7. She sent to live her older sister and brother in law, eventually
relocating in 1977 to Vicksburg, Mississippi to pick cotton.
At the age
of 14 Sarah married Moses McWilliams to escape her job, and abuse by her
brother in law. She had her daughter, A’Leila in 1885 on June 6th. A
few years after her daughter’s birth, her husband died becoming a widow at 20.
So she moved to St. Louis where her brothers had established themselves as
barbers, while Sarah became a washwoman. She was paid pretty well at the time
so she was able to afford to send her daughter to public school. She also
attended public night school to better herself.
The reason
is started her haircare business was to combat her own hair loss due to a scalp
disorder that caused extreme hair loss. This was during 1890s and she began to
experiment and research with home remedies, products, and ingredients. During
this time she also married her second husband John Davis in 1894 until 1903
It’s important to note that hair is extremely important to a woman, but especially to a black woman; where respectability was (and unfortunately still is) important when navigating a white segregated overtly racist environments.
Respectability is the idea of being seen as respectable to not draw further attention to yourself. It means “speaking proper”, dressing proper, non-offensive, and dapper. It means being closer/have proximity to white and whiteness as much as possible, so having lighter skin, being thinner, and straight, long looser texture hair and marrying, having children with someone that is whiter or lighter skin. It means developing a meek, humbled, personality that not meant to be seen as competition, a threat, or a target. Respectability is about survival first.
Respectability isn’t a bad thing, it’s definitely helpful and can protect but it also isn’t a solution. Racism is a system, a near perfect system. No matter how respectable you appear to be there are still stereotypes, anti-blackness, and other side effects of racism you have to deal with. A black person with tattoos, piercing pink or green hair is seen as oftentimes seen as scary, ghetto/ratchet, or a trouble maker. Whereas a white person who does the same maybe seen as edgy, alternative or cool, maybe even low class (but classism is not the same as racism).
In the system of racism no matter how far and high you go, you can’t
fully eliminate or escape the stigmas surrounding black skin, black features,
and general blackness because it’s been programmed in all of us (black people
included). This is why I feel black liberation is an ongoing process, maybe
forever. FYI this is not a lecture, an argument, nor a debate, this is my
opinion as of now (March 2021).
Respectability in Madam CJ Walker’s time meant higher paying jobs, more tolerance and comfortably by white people which led to more opportunities.
Her pursuit
to improve her hair led her to take up an agent job in 1905 with another famous
and successful, black woman hair entrepreneur (and later rival) Annie Turnbo
Malone in Denver, Colorado. In 1906 Sarah married Charles J. Walker (whom she
met back in St Louis) and changed her name to a more eye-catching, memorable,
recognizable name: Madam CJ Walker Charles J. Walker worked in advertising
& marketing, and helped Madam CJ Walker with her hair business. Madam along
with her husband in 1907 began traveling around the US (mostly the South) where
she gave lectures and product demonstrations calling them the Walker Method or
the Walker system. Her products were hot combs (heated combs that straighten
natural black coily curly kinky hair), pomades, and brushes.
Madam CJ
Walker experienced success allowing her to open a beauty school and factory
(named after her daughter) in 1908 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By 1910 she was
a multi-millionaire, and had established her business headquarters in Indianapolis,
Indiana because it had access to railroad system and a large black population.
This is where she manufactured her own products and cosmetics, and training
sales beauticians known as Walker agents or as she called them beauty
culturalists. Walker agents sold her products door to door. Walker agents were trusted
and respected nationally among the black communities of her time. Madam CJ
Walker was a black owned business that serviced black people and that provided
jobs for black women such as herself. Her daughter managed her Pittsburgh
headquarters so it was also a family business too. At height of production,
Madam CJ Walker employed over 3,000 Walker agents
In 1913 she
and her husband divorced (he was an alcoholic who cheated on her) after only 4
years of marriage. This didn’t stop her or slowed her down. She went on a 3
year international tour throughout Latin America and Caribbean tour where she
promoted her brand, her products, teach others her hair care methods and
recruit others. During this time, her daughter A’Leila helped run the business
(outside of the Indianapolis location who was run by another woman) and helped
with the purchase of her home in New York. It’s important to note how
“womanist” “feminist” her mentality was for her business. She established a rule
that forbad men from serving as president in her company. Only women could be
presidents. It maybe be seen as sexist to some (I don’t), but she was trying to
preserve her company and her own autonomy. This is women’s history month so my
blog post isn’t only about a zodiac sign’s energy in Black Liberation but also
a women’s energy in Black Liberation.
In Black Liberation there are many battles and being both black and women is seen as a battle. Some view being both black and women as a double handicap (as a black woman I don’t) but it does create a lot of problems. In Black Liberation there is often a choice, which comes first being black? or being a woman?
We live in a patriarchal society where male energy is protected and chose, even if they are black/we are all black. Black women in Black liberation spaces are constantly being undermined and our issues are seen as less important, not as relevant in comparison to black men or many other groups despite minority status.
This is where misogynoir (sexism against black women) comes in and oftentimes we as black women have to compete and fight for ourselves because others see as a threat and won’t. Men know how to protect other men, despite their race and women unfortunately and fortunately have to do the same. Black women in Black Liberation have to protect/ self-preserve ourselves, our image, and work to fight against erasure.
An direct
and relevant example as such is Booker T. Washington refused to give Madam CJ
Walker a platform to speak at one of his conferences, the National Negro Business league. She spoke anyway (an impromptu speech on the floor), a bad
bish will not be silenced. Supposedly it was because Madam CJ Walker sold hair straightening, and skin
bleaching/skin lightening in her products (which unfortunately she did sell) which Booker T Washington believe encouraged self hatred in black women. That's a valid reason but there could have also been some
misogynoir going on with that too.
Anyways Madam
CJ Walker also set up conventions and clubs to not only further promote her
business but also to delve in and provided support to black charity and
philanthropic causes. Madam CJ Walker donated elderly homes, to Black YMCA, and
the NAACP. She funded scholarships for women to attend Tuskegee Institute in
Alabama. She supported political causes such as anti-lynching (which till this
day anti-lynching is not illegal, fyi lynching is still going on today). Not
only was she a successful multi-millionaire but she was also a cultural icon
and rubbed shoulders with everyone and played an early role in the Harlem renaissance.
In 1918 she
moved to a town outside of New York called Irvington-on-Hudson where she built
an Italianate classical mansion called Villa Lewaro. It was designed by African
American architect Vertner Tandy. Villa Lewaro was used a popular meeting place
and host for many artists in the Harlem Renaissance. Villa Lewaro was later
designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.
Unfortunately
Madam CJ Walker died on May 25th 1919 at age 51 of hypertension in
her home in Villa Lewaro. She left one third of her estate to A’Leila, her only
child and daughter and left the rest of her estate to a variety of charities.
Her daughter, A’Leila Walker would later become an important figure in the
Harlem Renaissance. A’Leila Walker would later also dying of hypertension in
1931. In 1981 Madam CJ Walker Manufacturing Company stopped operating after
about 75 years of business. Though her company is no longer around her legacy
is important and incredibly inspiring and powerful.
Long biography aside let’s FINALLY GET INTO HER ASTROLOGY. Her astrology chart via astro-charts below:
Sun in 1
Degrees Capricorn
Moon in 6
Degrees Sagittarius
Mercury in
14 Degrees Sagittarius
Venus in 23
Degrees Capricorn
Mars in 3
Degrees Capricorn
Jupiter in 3
Degrees Pisces
Saturn in 0
Degrees Sagittarius
Uranus in 11
Degrees Cancer (Retrograde)
Neptune in
12 Degrees Aries (Retrograde)
Pluto in 14
Degrees Taurus (Retrograde)
North Node in 8 Degrees Virgo (Retrograde)
Themes in
Astrology chart
- Bastard
Stellium in Capricorn (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn, Sun exact conjunct
Mars)
- Stellium
in Sagittarius (Moon, Mercury, and Saturn in Sagittarius, Moon exact conjunct
Saturn)
- Uranus in
Cancer exact opposition to Mars in Capricorn. Uranus square Neptune
- Bastard
Grand Trine in Earth (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn stellium), Pluto in
Taurus and North Node in Virgo abundance, practical, earthy, logical
-Bastard
conjunct between Jupiter and Chiron both in Pisces
- Oppositions between Pisces/Virgo, Cancer/Capricorn, t square between Pisces/Virgo and Moon, Mercury, and Saturn in Sagittarius stellium, T Square between Cancer/Capricorn stellium and Neptune in Aries
Madam CJ Walker
had a Bastard Stellium in Capricorn (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn, Sun
exact conjunct Mars)
Madam CJ
Walker had a bastard Stellium in Capricorn (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn,
Sun exact conjunct Mars). Her ego/personality (Sun), sense of beauty/relationships
(Venus), and drive/passion/stamina/work ethic (Mars) are in alignment.
Especially Sun exact conjunct Mars, she was literally a force to be reckoned
with, energetic, assertive (sometimes aggressive/confrontational), and full of
spirit and life in the most Capricorn way possible.
This shows
that Madam CJ Walker was a hard-working, practical, grounded, strategic,
pragmatic, entrepreneurial woman capable of making lemonade from lemons.
This is
Capricorn Cardinal EARTH energy at its best when it’s in it’s entrepreneurial
bag and creating something. Creation brings life, only the living can bring
life. Capricorn as a Cardinal Earth has
natural leadership, entrepreneurial skills, talent and the work ethic to back
it up. When Capricorn isn’t ruled and consumed by just fear and insecurity
(unfortunate side effect of being ruled “malefic” “bad” “mean” planet Saturn),
Capricorn has the ability to be the sea goat, swimming past the rough currents
of water, shedding it’s scales, and slowing trekking up the mountain.
Venus in Capricorn shows her more practical approaches to love and relationships. She was a woman (beyond and also of her times), FYI as a black woman and the nature of black women lives we have to be, there isn’t a choice. She turned her own sense of beauty, which is traditional femininity and turned it into a business. Long, healthy hair is traditional femininity.
Straighten hair is Euro-centric femininity and in women of Madam CJ Walker’s time respectable, safe femininity that allowed them access to opportunities. Afro, African American hair in it’s nature state is seen as threatening, political, racial. During slavery times, slave women weren’t taught to really do their hair, nor could they really, and always had to be wrapped up.
If you noticed that a lot of times in the rare portraits and
depictions of black women of those times; their hair and the beauty of it was
covered up (for a lot of reasons). Madam CJ Walker wanted the beauty and
femininity she thought she lost when she was going through her scalp
disorder/hair loss period. So she went after solutions, found it, and she then
turned what she learned to a business. She knew her worth and wanted to be paid for her skills, talent, and service so there is a very transactional side of
Venus/Capricorn energy too, and this is peak Venus in Capricorn energy.
The delays,
limitations, her source of pain, and her Saturn wound is in the area of relationships
especially romantic relationships with her Venus in Capricorn. She had 3
marriages with her last one ending with an alcoholic, cheating husband.
Especially with a loose aka bastard opposition between her Venus and Uranus in
Cancer there is a level of unpredictability in relationships too. Her first
husband died when she was just 20, so she was. Outside the scope of romantic
relationships, she became an orphan before the age of 9 losing both her parents,
so this unpredictability isn’t just in romance but in close relationships too.
It’s
important to note Madam CJ Walker had her Uranus in Cancer exact opposition to
Mars in Capricorn and bastardly conjunct her Capricorn stellium. Uranus in Cancer
is rebelling against Cancer/Moon themes and systems so family, gender roles,
and home/country roots. She was a child orphan, then widow with her a young
child, then a divorcee (3 times), being limited by not only her race but gender
who went onto being a multi-millionaire. A lot of this rebellion wasn’t her
choice with the various circumstances in her life but she survived, defied, and
thrived despite it.
Sun, Venus,
and Mars bastard opposite to Uranus can show someone that has developed their
personality, energy, and relationships with a level of unpredictability
themselves, chaos, drama, and a changeable persona to protect themselves
against the trauma. By being unpredictable, it helps you cope with the
unpredictability and transient nature of life by allowing you to control the
change being constantly brought in your life. I think this is what Madam CJ
Walker had to do.
Stellium in Sagittarius (Moon,
Mercury, and Saturn in Sagittarius, Moon exact conjunct Saturn)
Madam CJ
Walker had a Stellium in Sagittarius (Moon, Mercury, and Saturn in Sagittarius,
Moon exact conjunct Saturn). So her emotions/habits (Moon),
thinking/communication/learning processes (Mercury), and her sense of
responsibility/limitations/restrictions (Saturn) are all in alignment and
working towards similar things. I think her Sagittarius allowed her Capricorn
energy to flow easier and loosen/freed it the coldness/ice up a bit.
Sagittarius
energy is naturally fearless, confident, and risk taking. Sagittarius energy
likes to take a gamble on their self because there is always a chance that
their efforts will pay off. If there efforts don’t pay off, it will eventually,
or it won’t. If it doesn’t they lose but they lowkey really won because there
was a lesson learned. The perspective being you never really lose, you learn.
Madam CJ
Walker peak Sagittarius energy is her travelling for her business to promote
it. Sagittarius is all about expansion and one thing to help with expansion is
to travel. She got to understand the needs of others, got to self-promote, and
expand her business acumen and prowess. Think of it like studying abroad or a
traveling salesman career externship. Learning while on the job. This is Madam
CJ Walker’s mercury in Sagittarius energy especially.
It’s important to note that after her divorce to her 3rd and last husband, she went on a 3 year international tour to the Caribbean and Latin America. I think her Capricorn side convinced her Sagittarius side to do this because it was practical and they both decided because it was a great opportunity for her business. However I think she also used this time to heal emotionally from her divorce. This shows her Moon in Sagittarius side, habits, and sensitivity. She needed to heal, she needed to escape, and this is a Moon in Sagittarius trait.
She did it under the guise of her business (Capricorn)
and as a fun vacation (Sagittarius) but I think it was also to lick her wounds
and to heal. Madam CJ Walker’s Moon is exactly conjunct Saturn both in
Sagittarius so she had the emotional wisdom via experience and maturity and
discipline to be able to do both.
Bastard Grand Trine in Earth (Sun,
Venus, and Mars in Capricorn stellium), Pluto in Taurus and North Node in Virgo
Madam CJ
Walker had a Bastard Grand Trine in Earth (Sun, Venus, and Mars in Capricorn
stellium), Pluto in Taurus, and North Node in Virgo
Her life
purpose was to educate/inspire (North Node in Virgo) via her business
(Capricorn stellium), while at the same time experiencing the fruits of her
labor and give/receive earthy abundance via her Pluto in Taurus.
Pluto in
Taurus, especially abundance in the form of capitalist pursuits, a generation
where abundance/resources
In speech
she once gave, she said: "I want to say to every Negro woman present,
don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. ... Get up and make
them!"
She taught
via her North Node in Virgo and employing female saleswomen how earn money and
thrive despite the times (Reconstruction era). It's the Biblical proverb and idea of give a man fish fed for a day,
teach a man how to fish, fed for life
Two
oppositions Pisces-Virgo & Cancer-Capricorn, two t squares between Pisces/-Virgo/Sagittarius
and Cancer-Capricorn stellium/Aries. Bastard conjunct between Jupiter and
Chiron both in Pisces
Madam CJ
Walker had two oppositions between Pisces-Virgo & Cancer-Capricorn, two t
squares between Pisces/-Virgo/Sagittarius and Cancer-Capricorn stellium/Aries. Bastard
conjunct between Jupiter and Chiron both in Pisces
It’s like
being double Jupiter with Madam CJ Walker having Jupiter and Chiron both in
Pisces
Her life
purpose (North Node in Virgo) was in conflict aka in opposition with her
beliefs (Jupiter in Pisces). I think she navigate it well by being of service,
teaching, being charitable, donating and supporting black causes
The oppositions between Uranus in Cancer and her Capricorn stellium which forms a t square to Neptune in Aries is interesting. All strong, Cardinal placements that shows the self-starter tendencies and independent leadership abilities. The oppositions between Uranus in Cancer and her Capricorn stellium has to do with security. Capricorn achieves security through hard work, being traditional, and career achievements. While Cancer achieves security through nurturing and family. Uranus running through all that as I mentioned before denotes a level of unpredictability, and managing this unpredictability via being unpredictable and open to change.
Not
only that but also through establishing a legacy. Madam CJ Walker probably didn’t
get the family dynamic she envisioned exactly but she was able to establish a legacy, a
physical, and spiritual heirloom that she passed and blessed her daughter with.
Madam CJ Walker brought down the boundaries, illusions, disillusions (Neptune)
associate Aries themes, independence, and individuality.
She was an
individual, she was an independent woman that stood out and was outspoken
(Aries). Her individual energy and personality allow her to find other
individuals (black men but especially black women), nurtured them via her own
individual goals, who in turn experienced their own forms of security, provided
for their families and achieve independence as black women. She broke down
those barriers for herself, first and foremost and then for other black women.
This is peak Neptune in Aries and showcases her t square energy well.
It was
between Zora Neale Hurston and Madam CJ Walker for Capricorns in Black
Liberation energy. I still at some point want to talk about Zora Neale Hurston
but I chose Madam CJ Walker because she is peak traditional Capricorn (and
woman) energy in Black Liberation and represents an important philosophy in
Black Liberation.
The
Astrology of Capricorns in Black Liberation is oftentimes traditional,
entrepreneurial, working through systems to get things done, perspective going
through the system, change the system but not get rid of the system. There is a
belief in black liberation movements that capitalism will not save black people
and that capitalism is the root of all evil. Makes sense modern capitalism and
the modern world was built off the backs of black slave labor. Black people
have lost the most due to the system of capitalism and have benefited the
least. I agree Capitalism won’t save us but I don’t know/believe that
socialism/communism will save us either. I don’t think this is an either or
situation.
Martin Luther King Jr is a prime example of Capricorn energy in black liberation. FYI I wrote an astrology post about MLK Jr. in 2016 before I started my The Astrology of Black Liberation project. The link is here: http://theastrofiend.blogspot.com/2016/01/martin-luther-king-jr-model-of.html. Martin Luther King Jr. worked within the system to make structural changes. This brand of black liberation is always seen as the most legitimate, smart, and less radical way for blacks to follow. This fight for black liberation being through legal more traditionally “sophisticated” means and the “right way” by going through the law and being respectable (no violence/retaliation, being dapper etc.). I have problems with this but I see why it was done at that time. To my knowledge Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t a capitalist.
Madam CJ Walker by the nature of her business/career was a Capitalist and represents another side to Capricorns in Black Liberation.
Capricorn energy
being and pursuing material, “superficial” (rolls my eyes) wealth, and
abundance. Black Capitalists wanting to experience and indulge in the system that
directly benefit from the labor their ancestors worked, died, and developed
ongoing generational trauma for this country and most if not all the major
Empires of Europe and the rest of the world. There is no shame in that and I
feel this is Capricorn’s energy in Black Liberation.
Capitalism’s
nature is exploitative, the richer get richer (and even more richer in a
pandemic, #sideeye) but money and the pursuit of money is not the root of evil.
Exploitation isn’t wrong, it’s neutral but a lot of people exploit in bad ways.
Money is also
not evil, it’s neutral and a tool. You are not noble or a bad person automatically
because you are poor and meek. You are not inspirational and a good person
automatically because you are rich and outspoken. How you get that money
specifically the methods used to get it and how you spend it shows you more
your character.
Slavery is
wrong. The way the United States, England, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium,
etc got their fortune and resources is wrong now and then. A reckoning with
Black Liberation at the forefront is here, has been here for a while, and will
always be for the people/family/institutions/spirits who benefited off of slave
labor. A reckoning, revenge, redemption, retribution, justice, the right thing,
whatever you or I call it; is ongoing.
In some regards being a black woman Capitalist, and supporting other black people with your capital is revenge/justice against the systems of capitalism, racism, white supremacy, and patriarchy. To succeed and win at the game, you were chosen to be excluded from and then fail at, is the biggest fuck you, and slap in the face to the game-makers and game enforcers. It’s like giving someone a taste of their own medicine. It’s like using the same weapon used on you on the person that used it on you.
There is a saying by Audra Lorde (her quote in the picture above) you can’t use the “masters” tools and methods to free yourself and just have to be better. I don’t know and I somewhat agree but Madam CJ Walker found a way to make it work for her and the people she impacted then and now. There isn’t one way to go about Black Liberation, sometimes you got to fuck things up from the outside, and sometimes you got to fuck things up on the inside. I think that the latter is what Madam CJ Walker did and why I chose her as the Capricorn selection for my The Astrology of Black Liberation series.
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