March 12, 2025
10 Black Women Who Broke Barriers In Business
Their achievements are a sound testament of determination
Women have fought for rights, freedoms, and equity in business, the workplace, and life. Black women have had their share of challenges. However, they have always pressed forward to become victorious and have opened the door for other women who follow. In celebration of Women’s History Month, BLACK ENTERPRISE is paying tribute to 10 courageous Black women who have shattered the glass ceiling, created successful businesses, and made history in the business space. Their achievements are a sound testament to what determination and ingenuity can do and how far people can go when they prevail.
Maggie Lena Walker
Born July 15, 1864, in Richmond, Virginia, Maggie Walker was a pioneering leader who founded the St.Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903, becoming the first woman to charter a bank in the United States. Walker’s bank did not fail during the Great Depression, which is still operating today, clearly proving her idea and determination.
Cathy Hughes
Catherine “Cathy” Hughes was born on April 22, 1947, and started her career in radio in 1969. In 1980, she founded Radio One, now Urban One, after buying a radio station in Washington, D.C. In 1999, she became the first Black woman to chair a publicly traded company. Today, Urban One is the biggest Black-owned radio broadcasting company in the nation and has expanded past just radio into television and publishing, securing her place in media history.
Ursula Burns
Ursula Burns was born in New York City on Sept. 20, 1958. She began her career as a Xerox intern in 1980 and has worked her way up. She was named president of the company in 2007 and, in 2009, became the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company.
Janice Bryant Howroyd
Janice Bryant Howroyd was born in Tarboro, North Carolina, on Sept. 1, 1952. In 1978, she started ActOne with $1,500 and built it into a billion-dollar company, becoming the first Black woman to own a staffing agency valued at more than $1 billion. Today, ActOne is still going strong as a major entity in the workforce solutions space.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey was born on Jan. 29, 1954. She founded Harpo Productions in 1986, which made Winfrey the first African American woman to own a production company. Later, through her groundbreaking media empire, she became the first Black female billionaire, thus cementing her legacy as a pioneering entrepreneur and a cultural icon.
Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker was born in Delta, Louisiana, on Dec. 23, 1867. In 1905, she launched her own line of haircare products for African American women. Her products quickly gained popularity. Madame Walker became the first self-made female millionaire in the United States, and she has been historically noted as a successful entrepreneur and an icon in the beauty industry.
Lisa Price
Lisa Price was born May 18, 1962, in Brooklyn, New York. In 1993, Price created Carol’s Daughter while making natural beauty products in her kitchen. The brand has received wide recognition over the years. In 2014, Price partnered with L’Oréal USA, making Price the first Black woman to get a major beauty brand deal. Price is still involved with Carol’s Daughter and helping to define the brand’s future. Price was also appointed to the National Women’s Business Council by Barack Obama during his term.
Teri Williams
Teri Williams was born in 1957 in New York. In 1995, she and her partner acquired their first bank, thus starting her mission to enable people to control their economic future. She has helped finance nearly $1 billion for moderate—and low-income communities to close the racial wealth gap. Today, Williams serves as the president and COO of United One Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States.
Desiree Rogers
Desiree Rogers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 16, 1956. In 2010, she was tapped to run Johnson Publishing Company, overseeing the publication of Ebony and Jet magazines, which helped modernize Black media. Rogers was the first Black White House Social Secretary during the Obama administration.
Beatrice Dixon
Beatrice Dixon, born in 1982, is the founder and CEO of The Honey Pot Company, a Black-owned and operated plant-based feminine care brand. The Atlanta native started the company in 2014 after a recurring health issue inspired her to formulate natural yet effective feminine hygiene products. Dixon broke barriers in the business world by gaining major retail partnerships, making The Honey Pot one of the first Black woman-owned feminine care brands to be sold in national retailers like Target. Dixon’s success in the male-dominated consumer goods industry has paved the way for Black women entrepreneurs in the wellness and personal care space.
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