Working Black Women and the Performance of Racial Uplift in the Netflix Series Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

Abstract

This article examines the four-part Netflix series Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker and the ways in which it brings Black working women out of obscurity and positions them as pivotal economic agents in U.S. history. By analyzing how the series intertwines Madam Walker’s life with broader themes and significant events in American history, including segregation, colorism, hairism, male supremacy, and poverty, this article aims to demonstrate how Madam Walker dispels myths surrounding working women and allows for a redefinition of concepts like work and race, work and class, and work and gender from a positive perspective. Ultimately, the argument presented is that the series diversifies, democratizes, and presents a pluralistic view of the experiences of working women in early twentieth century USA by giving prominence and voice to Black female workers and their remarkable achievements.