How A Woman
With L ong H ai r
86
WORDS: Jane Plitt
I have a goal to encourage young people
to turn to books more often than
brainless digital toys. Fortunately, I
stumbled on the magical tale of a girl who
had a horrid childhood. That tale has led to
three books that have captivated children,
as well as adults.
Some are awestruck to discover a real
Matilda Harper does more than that. Her
life story encourages everyone to dare to
dream, work hard, and do good.
That’s why I wrote Martha’s Magical Hair
for young children, co-wrote Martha the
Hairpreneur for young and older adults,
and Martha Matilda Harper and the
American Dream, for those who want the
details of her story. Sharing the story with
young people has been thrilling for me,
particularly working with Title 1 students.
They love true stories of struggling children,
especially girls, who succeeded big time,
just as Martha did. If she could do it, they
rightly believe they could also.
Martha’s story is relatable given today’s
plaguing issues of poverty, broken homes,
hopelessness, and immigration. Martha
was a poor Canadian girl, bound out of her
house into servitude from the age of seven,
who remained a servant for 25 years, but
held onto a dream to become independent.
hotbed of entrepreneurship and advocacy
for equal rights. Frederick Douglass was
recruited there to write his anti-slavery
magazine, the North Star. Fortunately,
Susan B. Anthony was headquartered
movement.
With that supportive environment, in 1888
reclining shampoo chair. The Harper
society folks alike.
When Ber tha Palmer visi ted and
experienced the shop and that reclining
shampoo chair, Bertha insisted that Martha
bring her business to Chicago in time for
the 1893 Columbian World Exposition.
Bertha wanted to take credit for the
innovative Harper shop.
However, Martha wanted to assure a client
base, so she insisted that Bertha get written
commitments from 25 of her best friends to
Of course, Bertha delivered, which forced
when banks were certainly not providing
venture capital to women.