Madam C.J. Walker was a brilliant entrepreneur who built a haircare empire and became the first African American woman millionaire. You might have learned about her back in high school, or maybe you watched the fictionalized Self-Made mini-series on Netflix. But not many people know that her headquarters used to be located in Indianapolis, along a once vibrant Black corridor called Indiana Avenue, a place that today is known for parking lots, high-speed traffic, and uninspiring university buildings.

Why do so few people know this story? Because, over decades, government planners and private developers slowly and systematically erased Indiana Avenue's history. Luckily, however, some Black Hoosiers are working to uncover — and reclaim — what almost disappeared without a trace. In this episode we tell their — and the Avenue’s — story.

Part I: Becoming Madam C.J. Walker [0:00-5:23]
Part II: The early days of Indiana Avenue [6:01-8:09]
Part III: The Walker Company in Indianapolis [8:10-10:51]
Part IV: Touring the Walker Theater [10:52-14:32]
Part V: The heyday of Indiana Avenue [14:33-18:47]
Part VI: The erasure of Indiana Avenue [18:48-26:06]

Guests
We talk with some incredibly distinguished Black Indianapolis residents and experts: journalist and Madam C.J. Walker biographer (and descendent) A’Lelia Bundles; Susan Hall Dotson of the Indiana Historical Society; Claudia Polley of the Urban Legacy Lands Initiative; Wildstyle Paschall, an artist and community advocate; Devon Ginn of the Walker Legacy Center; and centenarian/Indiana Avenue author, Mr. Thomas Hart Ridley.

We also reference the research of Dr. Olon Dotson of Ball State University. You can find the aerial photographs we mention in the episode here: https://maps.indy.gov/MapIndy/

Sponsors
This episode, the first of a two-part series on Black Indianapolis, was made possible by a grant from Indiana Humanities. We need help for future projects so please consider donating to Urbanist Media on PayPal, Venmo, or Patreon!

Credits
Host and Executive Producer: Deqah Hussein-Wetzel.
Host and Executive Producer: Vanessa Maria Quirk.
Editor: Connor Lynch.
Mix: Andrew Callaway.
Music: Adaam James Levin-Areddy.

About Us
Urban Roots dives deep into little known stories from urban history, unearthing histories of women and people of color that are in danger of being forgotten. Our mission is to elevate underrepresented voices and help preserve the places significant to them.

Find Us Online
Website: www.urbanrootspodcast.com
Instagram + Facebook: @urbanrootsculture
Twitter @urbanrootspod