Maggie Lena Walker and African American Community Development

Abstract

One of the unsung heroines of the African American tradition of community development is Maggie Lena Walker. Walker was the first woman in the United States to establish a bank that still exists today. She also started a merchandise department store, operated a newspaper, and was a prominent leader in a major African American mutual aid organization—the Independent Order of St. Luke. This article discusses Walker’s community development contributions and examines their relevance for contemporary community practice with African Americans.