Madam C.J. Walker: Entrepreneur

by A'Lelia Bundles

A biography of the Afro-American businesswoman whose invention of facial creams and other cosmetics led to great financial success

Genres: Nonfiction

110 pages, Library Binding

First published December 1, 1987

About the author

A’Lelia Bundles is the author of Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance (June 2025 Scribner), about her great-grandmother whose parties and arts patronage helped define the era.
She has written four nonfiction books about her entrepreneurial great-great-grandmother, including On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, a New York Times Notable Book, a BCALA Honor Book and a Hurston/Wright Finalist and recipient of the Association of Black Women Historians' 2001 Letitia Woods Brown Prize for the best book on Black women's history. This biography also inspired “Self Made,” the four-part Netflix series starring Octavia Spencer. A former network television news executive and producer at ABC News and NBC News, she is a former vice chairman of Columbia University’s Board of Trustees, a former chair of the National Archives Foundation board and on the advisory boards of the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute, the March On Film Festival and Columbia Global Reports.

Reviews

[Cheyanne Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

By reading this book I found out a lot of good and valuable information. There was so much stuff that I didn't know about Madam C.J. Walker. What I really liked is how she had thousands of women going door-to-door to help promote her hair products. She was the first wealthiest African-American women.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished reading this one for the CLCD. I didn't know any thing about Madam C.J. Walker until I picked this one up. She's fascinating!

[Dionne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched Netflix's Self Made about Madam C.J. Walker and loved it. I immediately knew I wanted to learn more about this amazing woman.

This book was written by her great-great-grandaughter who has done a great job of keeping Madam C.J. Walker's great legacy alive. I enjoyed learning more about her. I am astounded at the obstacles that she blew out of the water and overcame. She was an incredible woman.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well organized info.

[Peter orejimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this

[Jermaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

i didnt get to read it -_-

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressed by how this woman did as much as she did and achieved such great success during those times of slavery for black people.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating American story of an extraordinary woman.