Another 100 degree day! Crazy me has the air conditioning off, the windows open and the ceiling fan on high speed. I think it’s my way of communing with the folks I’m writing about because heaven knows it was HOT in A’Lelia Walker’s un-air conditioned 136th Street townhouse this time of year in 1915. And she did NOT like the heat!
Faith Ringgold's "The Sunflowers Quilting Bee at Arles" 1991
A few days ago while writing a chapter about A’LW’s friends, I came across a reference to someone named Ringgold. Couldn’t help but think of artist and quilter, Faith Ringgold, whose quilt “The Sunflowers Quilting Bee at Arles,” has long been one of my favorite pieces of artwork with my great-great-grandmother–and A’Lelia Walker’s mother– Madam C. J. Walker.
The abundance of sunflowers made me think of a letter Walker had written to her attorney, F. B. Ransom, in 1918 a few months after she had moved into her Irvington-on-Hudson, New York mansion, Villa Lewaro, and about how (more…)
We recently sat down for a wide-ranging discussion about Madam C. J. Walker with Michael E. Parker, CEO and founder of VCS, Inc. and host of CEO TV.
Here’s the link: CEO TV Madam C. J. Walker
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- Invitation to 2009 DC Screening of Chris Rock’s “Good Hair”
Chris Rock’s comedy doc, “Good Hair”–and my 40 second Hollywood debut–are back on HBO for a summer run from July 12 through August 19.
Check out the trailer and the schedule for HBO West, East and Latino on July 12, 17 and 27 and August 9, 14, 16 and 19
In 2008, I was invited to sit down with Rock at
HBO’s New York headquarters to talk about my great-great-grandmother,
Madam C. J. Walker, an early twentieth century pioneer of the modern hair care and cosmetics industries.
During my hour long interview we covered everything from the history of black women and hair to the dwindling number of black-owned hair care manufacturers. In the movie, though, you’ll see that all my carefully accumulated expertise ended up being condensed into two 20 second soundbites. But, hey, as a long time producer myself, I’m just glad I didn’t end up on
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Burial site of Madam C. J. Walker and A’Lelia Walker at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx
June 30, 2011: Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that The Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx–where entrepreneur Madam C. J. Walker and her Harlem Renaissance arts patron daughter, A’Lelia Walker, are buried–has been designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest recognition accorded to the nation’s most historically significant properties.
There are two other National Historic Landmarks associated with the legacy of the Walker women: The Madam Walker Theatre Center, a cultural arts organization in Indianapolis, and Villa Lewaro, the home Madam Walker built in Irvington-on-Hudson, New York in 1918. Villa Lewaro was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Walker Theatre was added to the National Register in 1991.
Madam Walker died on May 25, 1919 at Villa Lewaro, where her funeral was held on May 30. Among the pallbearers were New York Age publisher Fred Moore, composer J. Rosamond Johnson, and Alpha Phi Alpha founder Vertner Tandy, Villa Lewaro’s architect.
Pallbearers for Madam Walker’s 1919 Funeral (Madam Walker Family Archives/www.aleliabundles.com)
A’Lelia Walker,who held a private ceremony for her mother at Woodlawn on June 3, 1919, was herself buried there in August 1931. (more…)
Roland Hayes 1924 Chicago Concert (Madam Walker Family Archives of A'Lelia Bundles/www.aleliabundles.com)
I learned to read music on a Chickering baby grand piano that had belonged to my great-grandmother, A’Lelia Walker, but it really was my mother, A’Lelia Mae Perry Bundles, and my grandmother, Mae Walker Perry, who had musical talent. As the only legally adopted daughter of A’Lelia Walker and granddaughter of entrepreneur Madam C. J. Walker, Mae had been afforded many privileges, including harp lessons and enrollment at Spelman College.
Several years ago, I discovered this program from lyric tenor Roland Hayes’s January 15, 1924 program at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall among Mae’s personal belongings. It now is part of my Madam Walker/A’Lelia Walker Family Archives. 
At the time of the concert, Mae recently had moved to Chicago. Like others in the city’s black community, she had looked forward to hearing Hayes sing selections–including Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” black British composer (more…)
My great-grandmother and namesake, A’Lelia Walker (1885-1931), loved getting flowers on her birthday! Orchids. Dahlias. Gladiolas. Roses.
A'Lelia Walker loved flowers! Orchids. Gladiolas. Dahlias. Roses (From the Madam Walker Family Archives of A'Lelia Bundles)
She had everything else–houses, diamonds, furs, cars–plus great friends, a gregarious spirit and a love of life. Well, almost everything, but you’ll have to wait for my new book, Joy Goddess, to learn the rest of the story!
In fact, I’ve been working so hard on the book, that I’d actually forgotten today was her birthday until my good friend, Janet Sims-Wood, posted a story on Facebook noting that today also is the birthday of Portia Washington Pittman, Booker T. Washington’s only daughter. Heavens, I thought, when I read that. Both of these daughters of larger than life figures not only shared the pressure and expectations of others, but also a birthday! That gives me even more to ponder as I write about how A’Lelia Walker handled being Madam C. J. Walker’s daughter. (more…)
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