Before reading this, I wasn't as familiar with the brilliance that is CJ Walker.
Coming from extreme poverty, she build an empire, becoming the first self-made women millionare in the US despite the Jim Crow laws and segretation in a post-Civil War country.
Her journey from broke to bountiful is beautifully, and honestly, presented.

I appreciated the ARC I received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Excited to read about this fantastic woman, although I found the book itself to be a little repetitive and dense in some places. Still very glad it was written!
Up from 2.5 stars.
Thank you very much to Rowan & Littlefield and NetGalley for an ARC!

The life of C.J. Walker is amazing and Dr. Ball wrote an outstanding book about her life and the times in which she lived (1860s to 1919). Ms. Walker is the first woman self-made millionaire in the US and her business acumen is awesome. She created a makeup and hair care empire for African American women - then she used her money and influence to for advocacy. Dr. Ball covered so much information about Ms. Walker, including talking about women of all socioeconomic levels as 'capable adult women who were also stylish and modern'. This is still important messages today for women to think of themselves in a positive way. I learned so much and love the topic and author!

I recently saw an episode of Antiques Roadshow where a Black stylist brought in a first edition of Madame CJ Walker’s Beauty Book published in 1920 and valued at $7500. The stylist commented that she still uses some of instructions found in the book. I thought that was interesting and reminded me that I have wanted to know more about Madame Walker. This book satisfied my curiosity.

Author Erica L. Ball is a professor of History and Black Studies at Occidental College and she has produced a scholarly but very readable biography of this multi-talented, complicated woman. Part of the Library of African-American Biography series, this offers a deep look into Walker’s like from her beginnings as Sarah Breedlove right through to her becoming the first Black millionaire in the United States.

While her Black beauty methods, particularly hair care, have been erroneously vilified in the past (she did not, in fact, invent the hair straightener), Ball addresses the good, bad, and ugly aspects of Walker’s life and ends up presenting a well-written, well-researched, fascinating look at an American icon.