Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Published March 2020 (first published 2001), Kindle Edition 416 pages
Oprah Winfrey is renowned for her media savvy, marketing sense, philanthropic efforts, and accumulated wealth (and the power that accompanies it). She's earned her rep, of course, and her path to stardom and influence couldn't have been easy. Imagine, then, how difficult it must have been a century ago for Madam C. J. Walker, America's first female African-American millionaire. The daughter of slaves, married and divorced by the age of 20, Madam Walker spent nearly two decades as a lowly scrubwoman before concocting (or, as she claimed, being presented in a dream) the formula for a much needed hair care product for African-American women. After making her hair care business a resounding success, Walker devoted much of her time and resources to social causes and philanthropy.
In On Her Own Ground, A'Lelia Bundles, Walker's great-great-grandaughter and a woman of no small accomplishment herself (she's spent many years as a television news producer for NBC and ABC), offers an affectionate but unblinking portrait of Madam Walker. (Bundles' mother urged her daughter from her deathbed not to worry about promoting a particular image of their famous forebear, to simply tell the truth.) Bundles also explores the complicated relationship between Madam Walker and her only slightly less renowned daughter (and the author's namesake), A'Lelia Walker, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, and the elder Walker's interactions with such other seminal African-American figures as W. E. B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington.
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
A 2020 Netflix limited series will star Bill Bellamy, Octavia Spencer, Blair Underwood and more starpower!
This is excellent news.
Rating: really liked it
Written by Madam C.J. Walker's great, great granddaughter, the book was well-researched and thorough. The negative for me was that it read like a textbook and was too dry. Madam C.J.'s accomplishments as one of our country's first African American entrepreneurs were stellar, especially considering it was the very early part of the 20th century. I only wish that the book was more interesting....Madam C.J. deserved it. 2.5/5
Rating: really liked it
On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by Alelia Perry Bundles
5 Stars and a heart
When I came across this passage in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book I captured it as a favorite quote because it resonated with me in terms of my reading habits. "That's what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you onto another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive-all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment." In a recent read on Theodore Roosevelt I realized I knew very little about Booker T. Washington. I had made some assumptions about him and was shocked to learn of his conciliatory politics. So, I did a little research. In doing so I came across a reference to Madam C.J. Walker, whom I had never heard of before. The reference touted her as the first self-made female millionaire in the U.S. The reason this caught my attention was that she was an African – American woman born in the late 19th century. So, I wanted to know more. The only work I could find on her was a biography written by her great-great granddaughter. I admit, I was a bit skeptical. Even though Bundles is a journalist, I was afraid the work would be idolization than objective. While there are times Bundles makes some assumptions that an historian would not and takes liberty imagining some scenarios rather than reporting, overall the work is well-done highlighting her ancestor’s accomplishments, analyzing her shortcomings, embracing controversies surrounding Madam Walker and her company, and setting the record straight and well-meaning myths. For instance, while Madam Walker was incredibly wealthy and successful it is unlikely she technically attained the status of millionaire.
Sarah Breedlove was the first child born to recently freed parents under the Emancipation Proclamation. Born in 1867, in Delta, MS she was orphaned at age seven and sent to live with her volatile brother in law and sister. Sarah’s life was fraught with challenges. To escape the abusive environment she married early and was widowed by the age of twenty. Going onto a subsequent abusive marriage she winds up on her own with a daughter to raise. With a steely determination, Sarah’s singular objective in life was to provide a better up bring for her daughter than the one she experienced. She knew she couldn’t do that by holding the traditional jobs held by African-American women of the time. Believing that a smartly groomed appearance was key to upward mobility, she used the challenges she faced with hair loss to develop a system that would educate African-American women on the causes of hair loss and products to help grow hair. This was the impetus for the start of a company in 1906 that would start locally, grow nationally, and become an international success. While she may have never technically reached the millionaire status in her lifetime, she was incredibly wealthy earning and successful. She moved into the affluent neighborhood of Irvington-on-the-Hudson constructing a 34-room mansion complete with maids, cooks, and butlers. She counted John D. Rockefeller and John Gould as neighbors as well as the Astor’s, the Tiffany’s, and the Vanderbilt’s. Her earnings in 1918 were equivalent to $3M in today’s currency. Not only did she acquire wealth personally, but she provided an avenue for countless other African – American women to become financially independent. Further, she became active in both political and civil realms. She was the first to organize female entrepreneurs in a manner to assert their political will. She leant her name and money to causes such as anti-lynching campaigns, the formation of the NAACP, the YMCA, Tuskegee Institute, war-time efforts, and education in Africa. She lead by example and expected her sales team to follow suit.
But, the book is more than her business success. There are some fascinating sociology explorations as well. The discussion on the perception of beauty was actually quite interesting. In addition to learning more about Madam Walker, the reader gets a better understanding of the founders of what would become the Civil Rights Movement (both the well-known figures and obscure ones) as well as insight into the vying for power within the movement. There are some intriguing parallels between the Booker T. Washington/ D.E.B Du Bois relationship and the Martin Luther King/Malcom X one. For me personally, because of my line of work, it was fascinating to see an uneducated woman of this time intuitively use the modern day business model to build an empire that would last until 1985.
I would recommend this book to anyone but especially to anyone that enjoys a strong female character or likes to root for the underdog.
Rating: really liked it
Never run back to what broke you.Such an inspiration! Gosh! This woman didn’t know the concept of giving up! And not only did she grow her own life, but helped women like herself to do the same, talking them through the path of strength and independence.
The world needs more women like her!
Rating: really liked it
I appreciated reading about a woman who made such a huge impact on the beauty industry as well as learning more about Madam C.J. Walker's innovative business philosophy, her strong desire to make a charitable impact, and her efforts to support racial equality. There is no question that she was an amazing woman. Where I appreciated learning about her set against the background of the social and cultural times, there was way more information in the book than I could digest.
Rating: really liked it
I LOVED this.
This is SO interesting!
The author gives so much period details and peripheral history.
Beautifully done!
I'm off to watch the show at last:)
Rating: really liked it
It's startling finally to discover important business and social leaders who have made a big difference long forgotten. That's the case with Madam C.J. Walker, the most financially successful (actually serious wealthy) and notable black woman entrepreneur. On her own, she overcame abject poverty in the south in the late 1800s and years as a laundress after moving to the mid-West. Following, quite literally a dream, she came up with a formula to help black women grow hair routinely lost through a variety of scalp issues. As a hair culturist, Madam Walker built a business empire from coast to coast and even abroad. She set up her business to enable other black women to become commissioned sales agents and make more money than they could as domestics,bringing them out of poverty.
Madam Walker knew what it meant to "lean in" during early 1900's to build her business, just as Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg proffers in her book. Madam Walker was motivated to help her race and as a result was a strong anti-lynching voice. She was a major philanthropist as well. Her example as a leader is remarkable and her faults notable too. Written by her great-grand daughter, the book chronicles a history of three generations of women, the ups and downs, and the ultimate historical changes.
Rating: really liked it
Loved the mini series but the book reads like a textbook ...
Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars. I loved it! This book gave lots of details about who Madam Walker was and who she became, which I loved. I didn't want the book to gloss over facts or simply praise her accomplishments, and it did not disappoint.
Many times we have talents that are hidden, and when the opportunity presents itself, or out of necessity, they are unearthed and put to good use. This is the case with Madam Walker. Due to her own hair issues, she looked for solutions to help herself, and when she became pleased with her results she didn't want to keep it to herself. She was inspired! Inspired to help other women with their hair & scalp issues. She had a solution for age old hair concerns Black women dealt with, but at the forefront was the teaching of self-love and an appreciation for the hair they were born with. She was a stickler about ensuring women understood she was not trying to "change" anything about their hair, if anything, heal it (scalp), and make it manageable (hair). And, not to give in to what society deems as "beautiful."
Obviously, life was hard & very brutal back then (early 1900s); just a few decades removed from slavery. But, Madam Walker saw herself far above what white society saw for Black people back then (i.e. field work, etc), even though her parents had been enslaved, and even though she was once poor. She made it her business to pour into other Black women. She worked her vision of uplifting Black women alongside teaching them how to care for their hair and/or training them to work for her business nonstop (until her death, actually). She made it so that they could mentally see their way out of their current situation, until they were actually out of it...feeling good, looking good, and making more money. She was not a selfish woman by no means. She loved her people.
She was also fearless, and constantly bet on herself. If she attempted to take a step forward and was overlooked for being a woman in circles where men ruled, it didn't stop her - she pressed forward. She was not well educated, but she believed in her abilities, her products, and her thriving business....which no doubt boosted her confidence. And because she had a heart of gold and an appetite for empowering Black people (and speaking out against racial injustices) she also became a well-known and well-respected philanthropist. Madam C.J. Walker was truly "for the culture."
I listened to the audiobook.
Rating: really liked it
I won this book in a Goodreads drawing and I will give my honest opinion. This book is written by Madam Walker's great-great grandaughter. Her mother was the great granddaughter of Madam Walker. I expected a biography of Madam Walker but this is more than that. It is much like a college dissertation. There are pages and pages of endnotes and references to other publications. The book is straight-forward and dull. I certainly learned nothing new about Madam Walker, except that the firm was practically bankrupt when she died. The author gives the lineage of the family from Madam Walker down to the author. There are many husbands and divorces in this lineage. I gave up trying to follow them. It is for certain that the author is a descendent of Madam Walker. The few photographs in the middle made the book worth more. The book is tiring but I read it, always hoping for more info on Madam Walker. Read it for your research paper. It has all the info and references you will need. This is not a quick reading book or a fun book to read.
Rating: really liked it
I was really excited to win this! I first became interested in the Madam Walker company after reading an article about her mansion in New Jersey. I’m not sure if I got mixed up because there was no Jersey connection in this story.
So, aside from being mildly disappointed that we can’t claim Madam Walker as one of our own, I enjoyed the story, but there were SO MANY FACTS and it was hard for me to keep track of all the characters. The part that was most fascinating to me was how Madam Walker was such a pioneer of network marketing and influencing, and how little has changed in a century! It offers kind of a striver’s take on some of the more familiar intellectual and cultural movements (like Booker T Washington and the Harlem Renaissance), which I appreciated, but also sheds light on lesser known (to me) issues like the deadly confrontations over the treatment of black soldiers at home during World War I. As someone who likes spending money and maybe obsesses over material things more than I should, I also enjoyed the way the details about their spending habits and furnishings were presented without making them seem petty or out of touch.
So interested in reading more about this fascinating family. Can’t wait to watch the series.
Rating: really liked it
Our group felt that this biography of Madam C.J. Walker, written by her great-great-granddaughter, was well written and extremely well researched. The readers admired Madam for her persistence in keeping her eyes on the goal, even to the detriment of her health. We appreciated learning more about the history of African Americans in politics and the role of African American soldiers in WWI. Many in our group felt bogged down by the wealth of information, some of which seemed to detract from the more important information in the biography. given the author's bacground in news and academia, we felt that she may not have had the tools to "flesh out" the characters and situations for the ease of the reader. At least one reader tried to imagine Madam's personality, and we agreed that she must have been a dynamic, confident, and charismatic character. In addition, we appreciated her desire to encourage charity and her willingness to take a stand on racial and political issues. We would rate this book with 3.5 stars.
Rating: really liked it
I first "met" Madam CJ Walker during my internship at the Women's Museum. We had a few of her cosmetics for display, and she just seemed like an amazing woman. The first African American millionaire, male or female, she created a cosmetics empire long before Mary Kay. This biography is written by her granddaughter, which is both a good and bad thing. She did an excellent job of setting the stage--Walker was definitely a part of the movers and shakers in Jim Crow America. That being said, it took me forever to finish the book. Glad to have it on my shelf, as part of my long standing interest in beauty culture, but I only modestly recommend it. But you should know more about Madam Walker--it's too good of a story!
Rating: really liked it
This was an excellent biography of Madam CJ Walker. I was always really interested in her as a child and lately, in caring for my daughter's hair and establishing career goals, I've become even more interested in this inspiring self-starter. This is a great detailed account of her family life and how she became the inspiring individual that she was. Excellent book!
Rating: really liked it
long and rambling. Interesting facts, but wanders around a lot.
