INDIANAPOLIS — Downtown Indianapolis was the site of a large gathering to celebrate the legacy of Madam C.J. Walker on Saturday.
The "Madam Walker Legacy Fest and Block Party" started at 11 a.m. June 22 and wrapped up around 7 p.m. that evening. It was held just outside the Madam Walker Theatre on Indiana Avenue.
The event celebrated the legacy of Walker, the first woman to become a self-made millionaire, as well as how Black culture helped build the area around the theater.
"Indiana Avenue has this rich history of being a place where people feel welcome," Sampson Levingston said. "Even if it's 96 degrees, I've been out here when its six degrees. It's a place with a great energy, and there's a historic presence you feel when you're walking around."
Friday night, the event saw popular R&B group Boyz II Men perform at the Madam Walker Theatre as part of the celebration.