Why NYC needs a tribute to Madam CJ Walker, Harlem philanthropist @BoweryBoys
Some of our favorite podcasters – The Bowery Boys – make a great case for why New York City needs a tribute to the early 20th Century entrepreneur Madam CJ Walker.
Walker and her daughter Lelia (later A’lelia) Walker moved to Harlem in the mid 1910s during the neighborhood’s transformation from a white immigrant outpost to a thriving center for African-American culture. The ground floor of their spacious West 136th Street home was a hair salon for black women, opened during a contentious period when irate white property owners attempted to stem the tide of black settlement in Harlem.
The Walkers were at the heart of significant strides on African-American life. Walker used her wealth to support organizations like the NAACP, pushing back against violence and racism. Later, her daughter would use her considerable influence to corral the great talents of the Harlem Renaissance.