Uncovering the legacy of Maggie Lena Walker is easier today than when I was in school.
Mrs. Walker was an accomplished businesswoman and activist, who left a remarkable legacy of success. She was a newspaper publisher, bank founder, an active community leader, and a dedicated family woman.
At a time and in a segregated place, Richmond, VA, this African American woman achieved
breakthroughs beyond any reasonable expectation for herself and her community.
Establishing a financial institution.
There is debate about her status as the nation’s first female bank president. There is little debate regarding her being the first woman to single-handedly charter a bank—the handful of women who preceded her as bank presidents ascended to their positions at existing banks or formed them with male counterparts.
In 1903, she founded the St. Luke Penny & Savings Bank from an idea she floated in a 1901 speech.
The St. Luke Penny & Savings Bank would merge with two other black-owned banks to create the Consolidated Bank & Trust Co.
Survived when others folded.
What is impressive about Ms. Walker’s banking enterprise is that, during the 1900s, a time of continual bank mergers and acquisitions, it remained black-owned and independently operated for over one hundred years. In 2011, it was acquired by Premier Bank, which was subsequently acquired by Peoples Bank in 2021, effectively ending its reign and direct service to the community.
Lots more to uncover.
We had planned a detailed post about Mrs. Walker’s achievements, but after reflection felt it a better effort to allow young people and their teachers or parents/guardians to explore and learn for themselves.
Because Mrs. Walker is a national treasure, launch a self-guided treasure hunt to uncover as much information about Mrs. Walker as possible.
With that in mind, we’ve included links to the National Parks Service pages dedicated to Mrs. Walker.
A wealth of information, primary and secondary sources, is available on the websites listed below. We encourage you to explore, learn and share.
You can take a virtual tour of her historic home.
There’s an activity pack that you can use as a starting point. Some of the questions can only be answered by physically visiting the site.
Please leave a comment to tell how you used the pages and what facts you discovered.
BONUS BOOKLET:
Click to download.
Download a special 28-page commemorative history of the Consolidated & Trust. The bank that the St. Luke Penny and Savings Bank grew into through the 2000s.
It’s loaded with photos of Maggie Lena Walker and her leadership successors.
Get to know Mrs. Walker and how her vision grew for over a century.
Additional Reference Links – More Maggie Lena Walker History & Facts:
Banking on Black Women: Inside Maggie Walker’s Financial Empire
Maggie Lena Walker: First Woman Bank President (thoughtco.com)
Maggie Lena Walker: Civil Rights Activist and Entrepreneur | American Masters | PBS
Maggie L. Walker Facts for Kids (kiddle.co)
Maggie L Walker National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Kids & Youth – Maggie L Walker National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
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