Maggie Lena Walker was born on July 15, 1864, in Richmond, Virginia.

 Her mother was a slave, and her father was Irish.

Maggie went to a school called the Richmond Colored Normal School, where she learned to be a teacher.

As a grown-up, Maggie joined the  Order of St. Luke, an organization (that word means "a group") that worked to help African Americans become more equal.

She got married to a bricklayer, but then had to stop teaching. The school didn't allow their teachers to be married!

Since she wasn't teaching, she had more time. Maggie used her extra time to work hard for the Order of St. Luke. She became the leader of the organization!

While she was the leader of the Order of St. Luke, she started a newspaper, and opened a Bank and a department store that African American people could use.

Maggie Walker died at age 70, of the disease called diabetes. The Order of St. Luke was much bigger and able to help more people due to Maggie's ideas and hard work.

She was a great American, and a great African American woman. There is a statue of her in Richmond!

The End!

Sources:

-Biography.com

-NPS.gov"Who was Maggie Walker?"