Madam C.J. Walker transformed herself from an uneducated farm laborer and laundress into one of the twentieth century’s most successful, self-made women entrepreneurs largely by developing beauty products, and is known as being the first self-made African American millionaire. In this interview I had a conversation with her great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles about Madam C.J. Walker’s “rags to riches” story.

In addition to being a biographer of Madam Walker, Bundles is also presidentfounder of the Madam Walker Family Archives, the largest privately owned collection of photographs, Walker Company business and legal documents, personal correspondence, furniture, clothing and other artifacts and memorabilia inherited from Madam Walker and A’Lelia Walker.

For more information on Madam C.J. Walker or the Family Archives, visit www.madamcjwalker.com/

Interview by Roy Paul