{"product_id":"9780062437549","title":"Black Fortunes","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“By telling the little-known stories of six pioneering African American entrepreneurs, \u003ci\u003eBlack Fortunes\u003c\/i\u003e makes a worthy contribution to black history, to business history, and to American history.”—Margot Lee Shetterly, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHidden Figures\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBetween 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMary 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNearly all the unforgettable personalities in this amazing collection were often attacked, demonized, or swindled out of their wealth. \u003ci\u003eBlack Fortunes\u003c\/i\u003e illuminates as never before the birth of the black business titan and a vital chapter of Black history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis compelling work of narrative history reveals the hidden stories of America’s first Black millionaires:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eGilded Age Titans:\u003c\/b\u003e Meet the six trailblazers—including Mary Ellen Pleasant, who used her Gold Rush wealth to fund abolition, and Robert Reed Church, a former slave who became Tennessee’s largest landowner.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSelf-Made Millionaires:\u003c\/b\u003e Discover the ingenuity of entrepreneurs like Annie Turnbo-Malone, who developed the first national brand of hair care products, and O. W. Gurley, the visionary behind Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street.”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHidden American History:\u003c\/b\u003e Uncover the truth about Madam C. J. Walker, who wasn’t the first self-made Black female millionaire, and Hannah Elias, who used a lover’s gifts to build an empire in Harlem.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eStories of Resilience:\u003c\/b\u003e Learn how these unforgettable figures were often attacked and swindled out of their fortunes, yet persevered to become business titans against the backdrop of the Jim Crow era.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Shomari Wills","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46908386050197,"sku":"9780062437549","price":7.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780062437549_91351d4a-c350-45c8-8a0c-fba69d26170c.jpg?v=1776889752","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780062437549","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}