And it’s terrible that they had to, but they did.
And that’s what we all need sometimes in the
negotiating process. But you also have to be
ready to say, ‘Thank you for thinking of me.’”
Walker, who died in 1919 at age 51, was not only
an extremely successful business woman, but
a philanthropist as well. She gave generously
to what are now known as Historically Black
Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and fought
for anti-lynching laws.
Bundles hopes that her great-great
grandmother will serve as an inspiration to
those who know about her and those who are
just learning of her, and that everyone will dig
even deeper into her story.
“What has been meaningful for me in these
many years of telling her story is to find the other
dimensions: that she was not only a woman who
was a pioneer of the modern hair care industry,
but who employed thousands of African American
women and helped to create generational
wealth,” Bundles said “She created a hair care
company, but she used her money and her
influence to make a difference in her community.”