Madam C.J. Walker descendant talks about inclusive history, book bans
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A’Lelia Bundles, great-great granddaughter of American entrepreneur and philanthropist Madam C.J. Walker, is taking a stand on the importance of teaching inclusive Black American history.
On Wednesday evening, she was leading a discussion at the Madam Walker Legacy Center about why all students deserve to see themselves reflected in textbooks. It’s a panel discussion called Book Bans, Education, and the Long Campaign to Teach the Truth about Black History.
Bundles talked with News 8 before the event. “What concerns me now is I see people wanting to put the lid on that and to be able to stop telling those stories.”
Black Americans and people of color often have to teach themselves about the their own history. With an explosion of more inclusive stories about American history, Bundles hopes a conversation can inspire change.
But, bans on library books won’t stop Bundles from talking about them, and why all students deserve to see themselves reflected in library and textbooks. “I want to talk about what it means when you have all these books that allow people to see themselves, and what it would mean if someone bans those books and prevents us not only from learning about ourselves, but from learning about other people.”
Not knowing the full history of an event such as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, can have a negative affect on American culture as a whole.
“When we don’t know all of the elements, all of the dimensions, all of the contributions that all Americans make, we really don’t understand each other.”
An important story, banned for some school students, is the story of Ruby Bridges, the first African American child to attend a whites-only school. Bundles says the reason it is banned is because it makes some kids feel uncomfortable or bad about themselves.
“That’s really ugly, but we need to see that so that we don’t repeat it,” she said.
As Bundles sees it, having an open dialogue about the good and bad about history helps people realize everyone has contributed to the greatness of America and Indiana.
“If we don’t see ourselves, it makes us think that we’re not important, but it also allows other people to think that we’re not important,” Bundles said.