Maggie L Walker – Pioneer in Banking

For Black History Month, we continue to honor pioneers of our industry. Maggie L. Walker (1864-1934) was the first African-American woman in the U.S. to charter a bank, the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, and serve as its president. The bank’s leadership also included several female board members. As an advocate of African American women’s rights, she served on the board of trustees for several women’s groups, including the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the Virginia Industrial School for Girls. Walker also helped to organize and served locally as vice president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was a member of the national NAACP board. As a leader, Walker achieved successes with the vision to make tangible improvements in the way of life for African Americans.