ific ▁simulation ▁software <0x0A> </s> ▁A ' L elia ▁Walker ▁( born ▁L elia ▁Mc Will iams ; ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁– ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 3 1 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁business w oman ▁and ▁patron ▁of ▁the ▁arts . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁child ▁of ▁Mad am ▁C . ▁J . ▁Walker , ▁popular ly ▁cred ited ▁as ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁self - made ▁female ▁million aire ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁million aires . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁A ' L elia ▁Walker ▁was ▁born ▁L elia ▁Mc Will iams ▁in ▁V icks burg , ▁Mississippi , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁Mos es ▁and ▁Sarah ▁( née ▁Bre ed lo ve ) ▁Mc Will iams . ▁Her ▁father ▁died ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 2 . ▁Her ▁mother ▁later ▁married ▁John ▁Davis ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁and ▁divor ced ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 6 , ▁her ▁mother ▁married ▁Charles ▁Joseph ▁Walker , ▁a ▁newspaper ▁advert ising ▁sales man , ▁and ▁became ▁an ▁independent ▁ha ird ress er ▁and ▁ret ail er ▁of ▁cos met ic ▁cre ams . ▁A ' L elia ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri , ▁and ▁attended ▁Kno x ville ▁College ▁in ▁Tennessee ▁before ▁entering ▁the ▁family ▁business . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Mad am ▁C . ▁J . ▁Walker ▁Man