'Her story inspires women to this day:' Peyton Manning series showcases Indy GOAT CJ Walker

Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read
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Peyton Manning’s new series on The History Channel is helping shine a light on one of Indianapolis’ GOATs.

Its debut featured a profile of hair care industry pioneer Madam C.J. Walker.

In a minute-long profile sponsored by genealogy company Ancestry, retired boxing champion Laila Ali introduces Walker as America’s first female self-made millionaire.

“Her story continues to inspire women to this day,” says Ali, daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali.

The clip aired during the premiere of the series “History’s Greatest of All Time with Peyton Manning” on Feb. 6.

Most of the Walker profile is presented by the entrepreneur’s great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles.

Bundles wrote the Walker biography “On Her Own Ground,” on which the 2020 Netflix series “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker" starring Octavia Spencer was based.

Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, on the same Louisiana cotton plant on which her parents had been enslaved. Along with being the creator of a successful hair care products business, Walker was “a philanthropist, a social activist and a woman who empowered other women,” Bundles tells viewers.

Walker gave to Black colleges, schools and organizations.

The Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave., in Indianapolis was once the headquarters and manufacturing plant of Madam C.J. Walker Hair Care and Beauty Products.

This is a detail of the Madam CJ Walker mural unveiled Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 at the Indianapolis International Airport. The mural is a Bicentennial Community Project by Tasha Beckwith. The 11 foot tall, 75 wide piece of art was developed by Beckwith with the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Madam Walker Legacy Center.
This is a detail of the Madam CJ Walker mural unveiled Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 at the Indianapolis International Airport. The mural is a Bicentennial Community Project by Tasha Beckwith. The 11 foot tall, 75 wide piece of art was developed by Beckwith with the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Madam Walker Legacy Center.

“Madam Walker set an example for other women because they could see themselves in her.  She showed other women the way,” Bundles says.

The Walker clip is a profile in the “Greatest of All Time: Celebrating Stories of Courage, Resilience and Community” segments found among the extras on the Greatest of All Time series page on history.com throughout the month of February.

The Manning-hosted and executive-produced series, airing at 10 p.m. eastern time each Monday and streaming after on history.com, has the former Indianapolis Colt asking 100 experts to rank contenders in various categories, including toys, daredevils, sports stadiums, candy and dynamic duos.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis GOAT Madam CJ Walker gets spotlight in Payton Manning show