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13 Black Business Pioneers Who Defied the Odds

Teach the American history buff in your life something new.

13 Black Business Pioneers Who Defied the Odds

January 15, 2022

Between the mid 19^th and early 20^th centuries, and especially after the Civil War, there was a remarkable boom in African American-owned businesses. From morale-boosting Black dolls to movie and music production, early Black business pioneers leave a lasting legacy.

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Samuel T. Wilcox CINCINNATI DIRECTORY. SAMUEL T. WILCOX, FANCY &STAPLE GROCERIES, N. E. Corner of Fifth and Broadway. Keeps constantly on hand Brandied Fruits, Pearl Barley; Jellies and Jams; Tapioca; Am. and Eng. Sauces; Eng. Split Peas; Germ. Flour; Syrups and Cordials of all kinds; Pie Fruits, Olives, Pickles; Yankee Vegetables, hermetically Sealed: Spiced Oysters: Sardines, Catsups; Foreign and Domestic Preserves; French Truffle; Samp, Wheaton Grits, Sap Sago; WILCOX STAPLE & FANCY CROCERI Sap Sago Cheese; Eng. Dairy Pine Apple CRACKED.COM Dutch do Choice Teas: In 1850, Wilcox established one of the very first high-quality wholesale grocery stores in — Source

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Reverend Richard Henry Boyd CRACKED.COM In 1911, Rev. Boyd launched the National Negro Doll Company after trying and failing to purchase dolls for his children that were not gross caricatures of African Americans. The NNDC was a political endeavor to counter prevalent racist images of Black people and instill pride in Black children. Boyd sent photos of African Americans to the German manufacturer to ensure that they conveyed rather than caricatured their subjects. — Source

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Marjorie Joyner Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,515 M. S. JOYNER PERMANENT WAVING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet Tic.1. 25 16 12 Fig.2. CRACKED.COM Joyner, who supervised millionaire Madam C.J. Walker's beauty schools, was the first Black woman to receive a patent. In 1926, seeking a way to create long-lasting curls, Joyner experimented with pot roast rods & an old-fashioned air dyer hood and soon created her Permanent Wave Machine. She got a patent for her invention in 1928 and just a year later patented a scalp protector to make the procedure more comfortable. — Source

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The Johnson Brothers CRACKED.COM In 1916 Noble M. Johnson & George Perry Johnson created the first all-black movie production unit in the U.S., the Lincoln Motion Picture Company. However, two years later, Noble - who was a widely popular actor-signed a contract to work for Universal Picture Company of Hollywood in 1918 which resulted in the demise of the Johnson Brothers' company. — Source

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John Berry Meachum

John Berry Meachum CRACKED.COM In 1847, a Missouri ordinance banning the education of free Black children was passed causing Meachum, founder of the First African Baptist Church, to close his school in St. Louis. Undeterred, he opened the Floating Freedom School on a steamboat which floated on the Mississippi River, out of reach of Missouri's anti-literacy law and continued operating his innovative school until his death in 1854. — Source

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James Wormley 1876. 1876 For President, Sam'l J. Tilden, OF NEW YORK. For President, For Vice Pres. Rutherford OF OHIO. .ف Hayes, T. A. Hendricks. OF INDIANA. For Vice President, CRACKED.com In 1869 Wormley founded the first Black-owned and operated upscale hotel, The Wormley Hotel in Washington D.C. In January 1877 representatives of presidential candidates Rutherford В. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden secretly convened at the Wormley Hotel to settle the highly contested election. Unfortunately this resulted in the Wormley Compromise which resulted in the end of Reconstruction and any guarantees for black political participation or protection. — Source

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James Forten & VAGLUS LIBERATOR antry is the World, our Countrymen are all Mankind. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1860. collinsted with the Presidential cloction re tho ier. uid sen the pablic in the much told which Inflaences. held have Known condition arigencias TI ocnusign open therwhild been they the Manathusetts purcy д. and at his datigreous gan m most.sulmit en well of has eyes, Republican create, in thomandih been public hises Mr. mid the 38 the und no we and ore bot first many that bad login attor S Sa in take Thamas do, party Whig bims, with pat. she ons be capabilities produced allowe tleasen — Source

6

Harry Pace BLACK BLACK SHAM SWAN RECORDS SAMPLER BSS-1 CRACKED.COM In 1921 Pace established the very first African American-owned record label with wide distribution abilities, Black Swan Records, in Harlem. The label featured Ethel Waters and Alberta Hunter and boasted that they produced The Only Records Using Exclusively Negro Voices and Musicians. The label was short lived and released its last record in 1923 before its catalog was sold to white-owned Paramount Records. — Source

5

Frederick Patterson CRACKED.COM In 1915, Frederick Patterson founded the first (and only) African American owned and operated car manufacturing company. Originally established in 1895 by Frederick's father, C.R. Patterson & Sons of Greenfield, Ohio, metamorphosized from carriage making to manufacturing the Patterson-Greenfield automobile. They made up to 150 vehicles from 1915 until 1918 when they transitioned to auto repair. — Source

4

Free Frank McWorter THE TOWN SITE NEW PHILADELPHIA FOUNDED 1836 BY FREE FRANK MCWORTER IS LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CRACKED.COM BY THE UNITED STATES Born into slavery in South Carolina 1777, McWorter was able to save money and establish a saltpeter (potassium nitrate) production operation, which was in high demand during the War of 1812. His success enabled him to buy his freedom along with his wife Lucy and 15 others. In the 1830s McWorter moved to Illinois where he became the first African American to incorporate a municipality & serve as mayor of an integrated — Source

3

Annie Malone CRACKED.COM Born to formerly enslaved parents, Malone founded and developed a commercial and educational cosmetology business called Poro College in 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri, which a young Sarah Breedlove, who later became Madam C.J. Walker, attended. Poro soon became a beauty, hair care, and cosmetic empire, establishing successful branches in major cities in the U.S., and achieving an international presence. — Source

2

A. G. Gaston CRACKED.COM After observing that members of the Black community often didn't have sufficient funds to deal with health emergencies and burials, A.G. Gaston established the Booker T. Washington Insurance Company in 1923. His business empire was worth a total of $35 million and included a funeral home, a motel, and a private bank. When Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders were in Birmingham, they stayed at the Gaston Motel, the city's only first-class accommodation that accepted Black patrons. — Source

1

Stephen Smith NOTICE. OFFER my entire stock of LUMBER I either wholeshin up retail. at . reduced price, .. I am determined to class my business at Co- lumbia. My stock on hand is extensive, consist- ing of a large quantity of seasoned Pine Boards, Plank, Scautling, SHINGLES, together with yellow pine ile. Ncardting, &e., and . large quantity of LOCUST POSTS, AND e and Hemlock Rails, and Plaster by the ton. Any person entering into the tumber trade extem have the entire stork at a great bar rsons intending 10 open gards along rail road. or builders. will find it to age to — Source

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