Soldiers, Death, and National Identity

Abstract

response to a request for a list ofWalker’s philanthropic activities proved especially useful. “The letter,” Freeman writes, “provides an important record of Walker’s donations, but it also bears witness to Walker’s understanding of her community’s needs, her responsibilities to others, and the most feasible methods for her to meet such needs and obligations” (144). Moreover, he makes clear that Black philanthropic history not only considered the needs of strangers but those of family and friends as well. Chapter Six brings Walker’s legacy full-circle with another revealing document: Walker’s last will and testament. Freeman outlines virtually every detail of where she gave and to whom in exacting amounts, and explains how those gifts alignedwithWalker’s gospel of giving. In particular, Freeman outlines Walker’s detailed instructions when it came to how she wanted her wealth divided and also points to howWalker intentionally used her last will and testament to shape her own legacy. This further demonstrates how wills written by women often served to sketch out their legacies in narrative form. “Walker left a blueprint for her legacy,” Freeman concludes, “that perpetuated her gospel of giving. Her testamentary documents revealed that hermemento morimoments enhanced her generosity and led to greater provisions of gifts to individuals and institutions in service to the race” (182). Madam C. J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving compels us to reflect on the impact of Black entrepreneurs beyond using their examples to demonstrate their economic success against the odds. Instead, this book shows how Walker’s success ensured that the Black community would be taken care of in a multiplicity of ways beyond her financial capabilities. The book is a significant contribution to Black philanthropic history, Black women’s history, American philanthropic history, African American history, and Black business history that will influence practitioners, scholars, students, and people interested in understanding their own giving practices and relevance to the broader society.