The series is based on A'Lelia Bundles' biography of her great-great-grandmother, Madam C.J. Walker, titled On Her Own Ground, whose screen rights were optioned by Zero Gravity Management in November 2016.

Netflix gave the production a series order of eight episodes in July 2017, with LeBron James and Maverick Carter among the executive producers through SpringHill Entertainment.

Octavia Spencer was confirmed to star as Madam C.J. Walker from the initial development announcement, and later served as one of the show's producers.

Tiffany Haddish, Carmen Ejogo, Blair Underwood, Garrett Morris, and Kevin Carroll all joined the cast on the same day, August 6, 2019.

Filming took place over about two months, from July 26 to September 20, 2019, entirely in the Canadian cities of Mississauga, Cambridge, Stratford, and St. Catharines.

Octavia Spencer received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of Madam C.J. Walker.

Despite a generally favorable critical reception (68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 64 on Metacritic), the series was criticized for historical inaccuracies, including the fictionalized villain character Addie Monroe, who was based on Walker's real-life mentor Annie Malone, and a fabricated portrayal of Walker's daughter as a lesbian.