{"product_id":"black-fortunes-the-story-of-the-first-six-african-americans-who-survived-slavery-and-became-millionaires-9780062437600","title":"Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Survived Slavery and Became Millionaires","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"By telling the little-known stories of six pioneering African American entrepreneurs, \u003cem\u003eBlack Fortunes\u003c\/em\u003e makes a worthy contribution to black history, to business history, and to American history.\"--\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMargot Lee Shetterly, \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eHidden Figures\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\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. \u003cem\u003eBlack Fortunes\u003c\/em\u003e illuminates as never before the birth of the black business titan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWills, Shomari:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eShomari Wills is a journalist. He has worked for CNN and \u003cem\u003eGood Morning America\u003c\/em\u003e, and has contributed to \u003cem\u003eNew York Carib News\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eColumbia Journalism Review\u003c\/em\u003e. He received an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and a graduate degree from Columbia University, where he was named a Lynton Book Writing Fellow. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Amistad Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50606477345042,"sku":"9780062437600","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_2f3abb43-ab6c-484c-8b5c-3e3713c3b641.jpg?v=1732294763","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/black-fortunes-the-story-of-the-first-six-african-americans-who-survived-slavery-and-became-millionaires-9780062437600","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}