Madam C. J. Walker

October 1, 2016
Grades 5-7 Born into a black, sharecropping family in Mississippi in 1867, Walker grew up poor, picking cotton and washing clothes even as a child. Later, she continued to work hard, first as a laundress and eventually as the head of the successful hair-care company she founded. She gained respect for her success in business and for her support of education and equality for African Americans. Well organized and written with clarity, this volume in the Inspiring Stories series depicts Walker as a woman determined to succeed while helping her people along the way. The illustrations include many archival photos, and throughout the book, sidebars and full-page features include a description of laundering clothes in the late 1800s, as well as a short biography of Ida B. Wells-Barnett. A concise, accessible, and very readable portrayal of a remarkable woman.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)