Big Mama Said: This Too Shall Pass — But Our History Must Live On

By: Terry Allen

Big Mama used to say, “You can’t move forward if you don’t know the shoulders you’re standing on.” And when I look at the story of Madame C.J. Walker and her great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles, I see that truth lived out — bold, unshaken, and still rising.

Madame Walker didn’t just become America’s first self-made female millionaire by accident. She faced poverty, racism, sexism, and the entire weight of a system built to keep her small. Yet she built an empire — creating products that celebrated Black beauty and independence at a time when the world told us both were impossible. But her legacy didn’t stop there. Her daughter, A’Lelia Walker, became a patron of the Harlem Renaissance — opening her home to the artists, thinkers, and dreamers who shaped a generation. Their stories prove that greatness isn’t just inherited — it’s cultivated, protected, and passed on.

Now, A’Lelia Bundles — author, journalist, and keeper of the flame — continues that work. She’s chronicled how the Walkers weren’t just businesswomen, but cultural architects. Through her books and public storytelling, Bundles has kept alive the narratives of how Black men and women of the early 20th century shaped art, politics, and entrepreneurship in America. She reminds us that we’ve always had brilliance, resilience, and legacy in our DNA — we just have to keep telling our own stories.

Today, as we face new forms of economic exclusion, cultural erasure, and political fatigue, the same spirit that drove Madame Walker still runs in our race. We’ve beaten worse odds. But our future depends on how well we chronicle the now — our victories, our struggles, and our voices. Because history is not just what happened; it’s what’s remembered.

So mark your calendars — November 23, 2025 — and join us in Dallas for an in-person conversation with A’Lelia Bundles as she shares rare insights into the legacy of Madame Walker, A’Lelia Walker, and the Harlem Renaissance. On that day, we’ll also honor our own history-makers here in Dallas — those who, like Walker, built platforms of empowerment and excellence for our community.

This too shall pass — but only if we stand together to make sure our history lives on.
Join us. Show up. Be part of this moment in history.

Terry Allen is the Vice President of Focus Communications, founder of City Men Cook, and CEO of 1016 Media. Chair of the NABJ Media Related Taskforce and Member of the PRSA National DEI committee, he was one of the founding participants of the National Conversation called America Speaks and a Facilitator/Advisor with Pastor Richie Butler’s Project Unity.  He continues to uplift stories of Black excellence, health, and legacy across the nation.

Terry Allen is an NABJ award-winning Journalist, DEI expert, PR professional, and founder of the charity – Vice President at Focus- PR, Founder of City Men Cook, and Dallas Chapter President of NBPRS.org