STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —  The Staten Island Board of Realtors enjoys sharing stories about wonderful and interesting people who enhance the quality of  life in our borough.

With this in mind, enjoy the following story in the Staten Islands Advance:

Madam C.J. Walker may not be a household name in many Staten Island homes, but St. George resident Jonnette Graves has known the name of America’s first self-made female millionaire since she was a little girl.

“Most black women who have ever had anything done to their hair know about Madam C.J. Walker and her history of helping to develop a stylized way,” said Ms. Graves at a Black History Month event honoring the late entrepreneur. “Before we could afford to come to a salon, our mothers would tell us about Madam C.J. Walker. We used her products as kids.”

Born in 1867 in Louisiana, Madam Walker developed a line of beauty products for women, and established beauty schools in Pittsburgh and New York. She died at the age of 51 in her mansion in Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y., and is in the Guinness Book of Records as America’s first self-made female millionaire. 

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas. 

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

SIBOR may be reached at 718-928-3220 and visited online at http://siborrealtors.com/.

Media Inquiries:

Relevant Public Relations, LLC

Headquarters: 718‑682‑1509

Mobile: 917‑715‑8761

Email: [email protected]