Madison Parish

Founded in 1838 and located in extreme northeastern Louisiana, Madison Parish has a rich and colorful history. It is the setting of Kate Stone’s best-selling Civil War diary, Brokenburn, and played an important role during that era-Generals Grant, Sherman, and McClernan assembled their troops in Madison Parish months before their assault on Vicksburg. Sarah Breedlove, better known as Madam C.J. Walker, was born in Madison Parish and ultimately rose from a lowly washerwoman to the first black female millionaire in the United States. Images of America: Madison Parish, containing over 200 black-and-white images, highlights the history of this fascinating community through photographs, drawings, and maps. Included are Civil War scenes, the 1907 bear hunt by President Theodore Roosevelt, and numerous professional photographs of the disastrous 1927 flood that paralyzed the parish and surrounding areas for several months.