Rise & Grind.com

WITH THE NAME OF William Alexander Leidesdorff, we begin the documentary history of pioneers of Negro origin in California. No nationality or racial minority migrating to the state could wish to have a more distinguished antecedent. Born in the Virgin Islands, the gifted son of William Leidesdorff, a Danish sugar planter, and Anna Marie Spark,  [ Read More ]

Thomas Jennings was the first African American to receive a patent, on March 3, 1821 (U.S. patent3306x). Thomas Jennings’ patent was for a dry-cleaning process called “dry scouring”. The first money Thomas Jennings earned from his patent was spent on the legal fees necessary to liberate his family out of slavery and support the abolitionist  [ Read More ]

Born Janet Harmon in Griffin, Georgia she was the daughter of Cordia Batts Harmon and Samuel Harmon, a brick contractor. Harmon’s maternal grandfather was a freed slave of Spanish descent, and her maternal grandmother was a Cherokee. Harmon, the youngest of seven children transferred from public elementary school to St. Stephens Episcopal School, a better  [ Read More ]

Paul Cuffe is best known for his work in assisting free blacks who wanted to emigrate to Sierra Leone.  Cuffe was born free on Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts (near New Bedford) sometime around 1759. The exact date of his birth is unknown. He was the youngest of ten children. His father, Kofi (also known as Cuffe  [ Read More ]

Alphonse “Buddy” Fletcher, Jr. (born 1966) is an African-American philanthropist who had previously been a successful money manager. Fletcher first became notable when employed by Kidder, Peabody & Co. During this time, he had an agreement entitling him to 25% of the profits he earned for the firm. However, when he generated $25 million one  [ Read More ]

Richard Henry Boyd, preacher, missionary, entrepreneur, publisher, banker, educator. writer, and black nationalist, was born a slave to Indiana Dixon in Noxubee County, Mississippi, on March 15, 1843. Although he was christened Dick Gray by his slave master, he proudly changed his name to Richard Henry Boyd after the Civil War. He served as a  [ Read More ]

David L. Steward is chairman and founder of World Wide Technology, Inc., one of the largest African-American-owned businesses in America. He also is the author of Doing Business by the Good Book. Steward also serves both on the Executive Committee and the Campaign Chair for the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Missouri. Steward was  [ Read More ]

When most people think of Las Vegas, Nevada, two images quickly come to mind, casinos and deserts. Seldom are images of African-Americans or black culture associated with this gaming mecca located in one of the fastest growing states in the nation. In fact, when it comes to African-Americans, the first thing you hear is about  [ Read More ]

Many African Americans moved to Oklahoma in the years before and after 1907, which is the year when Oklahoma became a state. Oklahoma represented change and provided a chance for African Americans to get away from slavery and the harsh racism of their previous homes. Most of them traveled from the states in the south  [ Read More ]

An African American barber and entrepreneur, Alonzo Herndon was founder and president of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company, one of the most successful black-owned insurance businesses in the nation. At the time of his death in 1927, he was also Atlanta’s wealthiest black citizen, owning more property than any  [ Read More ]