Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires

Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires

<p><strong>“By telling the little-known stories of six pioneering African American entrepreneurs, <em>Black Fortunes</em> makes a worthy contribution to black history, to business history, and to American history.”—</strong><strong>Margot Lee Shetterly, <em>New York Times</em> Bestselling author of <em>Hidden Figures</em></strong></p><p>Between the years of 1830 and 1927, as the last generation of blacks born into slavery was reaching maturity, a small group of industrious, tenacious, and daring men and women broke new ground to attain the highest levels of financial success.</p><p>Mary Ellen Pleasant, used her Gold Rush wealth to further the cause of abolitionist John Brown. Robert Reed Church, became the largest landowner in Tennessee. Hannah Elias, the mistress of a New York City millionaire, used the land her lover gave her to build an empire in Harlem. Orphan and self-taught chemist Annie Turnbo-Malone, developed the first national brand of hair care products. Mississippi school teacher O. W. Gurley, developed a piece of Tulsa, Oklahoma, into a “town” for wealthy black professionals and craftsmen that would become known as “the Black Wall Street.” Although Madam C. J Walker was given the title of America’s first female black millionaire, she was not. She was the first, however, to flaunt and openly claim her wealth—a dangerous and revolutionary act.</p><p>Nearly all the unforgettable personalities in this amazing collection were often attacked, demonized, or swindled out of their wealth. <em>Black Fortunes</em> illuminates as never before the birth of the black business titan.</p>