A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

Madam Walker was an incredible woman, but she wasn't the only one of her time who was. She just took it to the highest height.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

DuBois - my intellectual hero - had written an obit of Madam, praising her... I began to see Madam Walker beyond the definitions others had given her.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

Many people have told me that once they learn of Madam Walker's accomplishments they are surprised, even embarrassed, that they have never heard of her. But they shouldn't be. Her extraordinary story was simply omitted from the history books.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

To her credit, Madam Walker discerned that black women wanted to conform to white Victorian models of beauty. She was aware of the double- sidedness of her products - helping black women appear more European in look, with straight hair - but she always maintained that she was simply selling products that promoted hair growth.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

A lot of people think Oprah is channeling for Madam Walker, and there are lots of parallels.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

For all my life, I've been trying to tell Madam's story and really it's a labor of love just to make sure people know about her and the empowerment she gave to other women.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

Madam Walker's legacy lives in her philanthropy as well as in an amazing line of hair care products.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

As one of the pioneers of modern hair care and cosmetics, Madam Walker is still an inspiration to a lot of people going into the business.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

As much as any woman of the twentieth century, Madam Walker paved the way for the profound social changes that altered women's place in American society.

A'Lelia Bundles
A'Lelia Bundles

For many years Madam Walker was just a little footnote in history. As a woman who made haircare products, she was really consigned to something trivial.