Black History Month Alert: Madam C.J. Walker Gets a New Celebratory Exhibition
She was not only a millionaire but also a philanthropist and political activist
“I want to live to help my race” — these were some of Madam C.J. Walker’s last words from her deathbed. In her lifetime, the barriers she broke as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political activist were astonishing, and the ripple effect of her business and legacy can still be felt today.
When Octavia Spencer brings Walker to life in a biographical Netflix series debuting March 20, she’ll shine a light on a woman whose story should be in U.S. history books. Walker’s parents were former slaves, and yet she rose from abject poverty with just three months of formal education to become a self-made millionaire. Walker’s hair care business celebrated Black beauty in the early 20th century by helping African-American women grow healthy, luscious locks. She canvassed the country as thoroughly and strategically as any presidential candidate, empowering Black women with the tools and training to start their own beauty salons.
According to her great-great-granddaughter, A’Lelia Bundles, who wrote the biography On Her Ground on which the series is based, the Netflix version embellishes Walker’s life and doesn’t always adhere strictly to…
