Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Book Review: BLACK FORTUNES

BLACK FORTUNES
HARPER/Amistad – @HarperCollins @AmistadBooks

[This review was posted on Patreon.]

AUTHOR: Shomari Wills – @ShoWills
ISBN: 978-0-06-243759-4; hardcover (January 30, 2018)
320pp, B&W, $26.99 U.S.

Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires is a non-fiction book written by journalist Shomari Wills.  Black Fortunes tells the story of the first six African-Americans who were born into slavery and then went on to become millionaires

According to Black Fortunes, there are an estimated 35,000 black millionaires living in the United States.  That includes celebrities like Beyoncé, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.  Some are billionaires (Oprah Winfrey) or are near billionaires (Michael Jordan, Jay-Z).

However, these rich folks are not the first black people to become the “one percent.”  Between the years of 1830 and 1927, there was a small group of people among the last generation of blacks folks born into or during slavery.  Smart, tenacious, and opportunistic, these daring men and women broke new ground for African-Americans by attaining the highest levels of financial success.

These are the first six to escape the holocaust of American chattel slavery of African-Americans and find wealth:

1. Born in Philadelphia in 1814, Mary Ellen Pleasant built her wealth in California during the “Gold Rush” and used that wealth to further the cause of abolitionist John Brown

2. Born in 1939 on a cotton plantation outside Memphis, Tennessee, Robert Reed Church was the child of a slave who was a fair-skinned black woman and a married white man who owned a fleet of steamships.  Church would go on to become the largest landowner in Tennessee and a man of such political influence he was acquainted with President Theodore Roosevelt.

3. The daughter of a respectable professional family in Philadelphia, Hannah Elias, was the “Black Cleopatra” who “exhibited a peculiar influence over white men.”  She became the mistress of a New York City millionaire and used the land and money her lover gave her to build a real estate empire in the city, and in Harlem, in particular.

4. Born in Illinois in 1969, Annie Turnbo-Malone was an orphan who dreamed of making a business of doing people's hair.  She became a self-taught chemist and went on to develop “Poro,” the first national brand of hair care products and a franchise of beauty shops.

5. Initially an employee of and salesman for Annie Turnbo-Malone, Madam C. J Walker began her journey to riches by stealing her employer's hair care formulas to start her on hair care business.  She would go on to earn the nickname America’s "first female black millionaire,” and she openly flaunted her wealth.

6. The son of slaves, (Ottawa) O. W. Gurley was born in Huntsville, Alabama on Christmas Day 1868.  He moved to Oklahoma during the “oil boom” and using his business acumen and political savvy he developed a piece of Tulsa, Oklahoma, into a “town” for black craftsmen and tradesmen and wealthy black professionals.  Named “Greenwood,” this unofficial town that would become known as “the Black Wall Street,” before jealous white racists looted and destroyed most of it.

The astonishing untold history of America’s first black millionaires is now told in the new book, Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires.

We need books like Black Fortunes, and by “we,” I mean Americans in general, and black Americans specifically.  American history as taught to me at the elementary and high schools I attended was piss-poor.  Every school year, we began with Christopher Columbus and had barely began studying the 19th century by the time the school year ended.  I think we only once got anywhere near the Civil War, and slavery was touched upon only a few times.

Luckily, I had Black History month and African-American teachers who had graduated from Southern University and A&M College (in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and legendary Grambling State University who were determined that we ''learn about our ancestors and the people who came before us.”  In spite of their best efforts, I found that white kids from pricey private and parochial schools knew more about “Black History” than I did.

I have learned a lot from books like Black Fortunes, which are both history and story books.  And the truth is that Black Fortunes and books like it tell stories that are as much American as they are specifically African-American.  In the case of these six individuals here, their lives are often in the center of the maelstrom that was the time period from the administration of President Andrew Jackson to the 1920s (the “Roaring Twenties), a time of great change and growth for the United States of America.  You cannot read this book and understand these six individuals and the scope of their achievements without grappling with the larger context of a turbulent 100 years.

On an individual level, the thing that surprised me most about these men and women is how much they hustled.  The term “hustler” has a negative connotation, being related to black criminals and male sex trade workers.  But the stars of Black Fortune were always hustling more jobs, investments, and opportunities.  Mary Ellen Pleasant was a rich woman in California, and she was still catering on the side.  Robert Reed Church was a real estate magnate, a rich landlord, and he still operated his bar/jook joint from behind the counter.  The black women chronicled here built mansions and took in tenants to earn some extra cash?!

There is a lot to learn from Black Fortunes.  The history of black Americans is America's history.  The most important thing that one can learn from this book is this:  always hustle, grab that extra job, snatch  every opportunity, embrace a helping hand, and don't stop – even when the racists and haters are trying to hold you down.

I will also go so far as to say that every black high school student in America should have a copy of Black Fortunes.  It should be required reading for incoming freshmen at all HBCUs and at many other American universities and colleges, especially the ones that benefited from slavery and the oppression of black folks.

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------------


Monday, April 9, 2018

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

BOOM! STUDIOS

FEB181245    ADVENTURE TIME COMICS #22    $3.99
FEB181246    ADVENTURE TIME COMICS #22 SUBSCRIPTION DEWEY VAR    $3.99
DEC171236    AMORY WARS GOOD APOLLO TP VOL 02 (MR)    $14.99
FEB181232    DODGE CITY #2    $3.99
JAN180020    FCBD 2018 BOOM ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE SPECIAL    $PI
JAN180002    FCBD 2018 BOOM MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS SPECIAL SG    $PI
FEB181206    PLANET OF THE APES URSUS #4 MAIN & MIX    $3.99
FEB181207    PLANET OF THE APES URSUS #4 SUBSCRIPTION CAREY VAR    $3.99
FEB181185    ROBOCOP CITIZENS ARREST #1    $3.99
FEB181186    ROBOCOP CITIZENS ARREST #1 RUBIN VAR    $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC170129    ALIENS PREDATOR PROMETHEUS FIRE AND STONE TP    $24.99
DEC170099    BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW TP VOL 01    $19.99
DEC170107    EC ARCHIVES EXTRA HC    $49.99
JAN180003    FCBD 2018 DARK HORSE OVERWATCH & BLACK HAMMER    $PI
JAN180023    FCBD 2018 LEGEND OF KORRA & NINTENDO ARMS    $PI
MAY170077    GAME OF THRONES BUST JON SNOW LTD ED    $134.99
JAN180166    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON ARRYN    $2.99
JAN180167    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON BARATHEON    $2.99
JAN180168    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON BOLTON    $2.99
JAN180169    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON FREY    $2.99
JAN180170    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON GREYJOY    $2.99
JAN180171    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON LANNISTER    $2.99
JAN180172    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON MARTELL    $2.99
JAN180173    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON STANNIS-BARATHEON    $2.99
JAN180174    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON STARK    $2.99
JAN180175    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON TARGARYEN    $2.99
JAN180176    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON TULLY    $2.99
JAN180177    GAME OF THRONES BUTTON TYRELL    $2.99
APR170113    GAME OF THRONES FIGURE DAENERYS MOTHER DRAGONS    $29.99
SEP170134    HATSUNE MIKU FUTURE DELIVERY TP  02    $10.99
MAY170010    MOEBIUS LIBRARY ART OF EDENA HC    $34.99
FEB180028    NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS MY AINSEL #2 MAIN CVR    $3.99
FEB180029    NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS MY AINSEL #2 VAR DAVID MACK CVR (C    $3.99
DEC170082    ONCE UPON A TIME MACHINE TP VOL 02 GREEK GODS LEGENDS    $17.99
FEB180051    RESIDENT ALIEN #1 (OF 4) ALIEN IN NEW YORK    $3.99
DEC170116    TOMB RAIDER SURVIVORS CRUSADE #4 (OF 4)    $3.99

---------------------------------


DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

DC COMICS

DEC170241    ACTION COMICS 80 YEARS OF SUPERMAN HC    $29.99
FEB180162    BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #21    $3.99
FEB180163    BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #21 VAR ED    $3.99
JAN180396    DC UNIVERSE BY BRIAN K VAUGHAN TP    $19.99
FEB180187    DETECTIVE COMICS #978    $2.99
FEB180188    DETECTIVE COMICS #978 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB180258    ETERNITY GIRL #2 (OF 6) (MR)    $3.99
FEB180191    FLASH #44    $2.99
FEB180192    FLASH #44 VAR ED    $2.99
FEB180201    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42    $2.99
FEB180202    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42 VAR ED    $2.99
OCT170395    HARLEY QUINN RED WHITE & BLACK STATUE BY BABS TARR    $80.00
JAN180403    HAWKMAN BY GEOFF JOHNS TP BOOK 02    $29.99
JAN180238    IMMORTAL MEN #1 (RES)    $2.99
FEB180217    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #28    $2.99
FEB180218    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #28 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN180386    JUSTICE LEAGUE REBIRTH DLX COLL HC BOOK 02    $34.99
FEB180275    MAD MAGAZINE #1    $5.99
FEB180223    NEW SUPER MAN & THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF CHINA #22    $3.99
FEB180224    NEW SUPER MAN & THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF CHINA #22 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB180230    RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #21    $3.99
FEB180231    RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #21 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB180270    SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #24    $3.99
FEB180271    SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #24 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB180273    SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #92    $2.99
FEB180153    SIDEWAYS #3    $2.99
FEB180232    SUICIDE SQUAD #39    $2.99
FEB180233    SUICIDE SQUAD #39 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN180389    SUICIDE SQUAD TP VOL 05 KILL YOUR DARLINGS REBIRTH    $14.99
FEB180240    SUPERGIRL #20    $3.99
FEB180241    SUPERGIRL #20 VAR ED    $3.99
OCT170379    SUPERMAN EXILE AND OTHER STORIES OMNIBUS HC    $125.00
JAN180391    SUPERMAN TP VOL 05 HOPES AND FEARS REBIRTH    $16.99
FEB180250    TITANS #22    $3.99
FEB180251    TITANS #22 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB180246    TRINITY #21    $3.99
FEB180247    TRINITY #21 VAR ED    $3.99
FEB180253    WONDER WOMAN #44    $2.99
FEB180254    WONDER WOMAN #44 VAR ED    $2.99
JAN180410    WONDER WOMAN BY GEORGE PEREZ TP VOL 03    $29.99


---------------------------------


Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

D. E.

FEB181381    BARBARELLA #5 CVR A WOODS (MR)    $3.99
FEB181382    BARBARELLA #5 CVR B DALFONSO (MR)    $3.99
FEB181383    BARBARELLA #5 CVR C KALUTA (MR)    $3.99
FEB181384    BARBARELLA #5 CVR D SANAPO (MR)    $3.99
FEB181385    BARBARELLA #5 CVR E YARAR EXC SUBSCRIPTION VAR (MR)    $3.99
AUG171505    BRANDON SANDERSON WHITE SAND HC VOL 02 SGN ED    $39.99
JAN180025    FCBD 2018 BOBS BURGERS    $PI
JAN180026    FCBD 2018 JAMES BOND VARGAR    $PI
JUL171682    JAMES BOND CASINO ROYALE HC    $24.99
FEB181418    JAMES BOND KILL CHAIN HC    $24.99
FEB181431    LEGENDERRY RED SONJA #3 (OF 5) CVR A BENITEZ    $3.99

-------------------------------


IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

IDW PUBLISHING

JAN180471    BACK TO THE FUTURE TIME TRAIN #4 CVR A LEVENS    $3.99
JAN180472    BACK TO THE FUTURE TIME TRAIN #4 CVR B MURPHY    $3.99
FEB180490    DRAGON BALL Z PERFECT CELL GAME    $39.99
FEB180363    DUCKTALES #8 CVR A GHIGLIONE    $3.99
FEB180364    DUCKTALES #8 CVR B GHIGLIONE    $3.99
FEB180361    DUCKTALES MYSTERIES & MALLARDS TP    $9.99
JAN180031    FCBD 2018 STAR WARS ADVENTURES    $PI
JAN180006    FCBD 2018 TRANSFORMERS UNICRON #0    $PI
FEB180390    GEARS OF WAR RISE OF RAAM #4 CVR A BROWN    $3.99
FEB180391    GEARS OF WAR RISE OF RAAM #4 CVR B PORTACIO    $3.99
JAN180512    GOOSEBUMPS DOWNLOAD & DIE #2 CVR A WONG    $3.99
JAN180513    GOOSEBUMPS DOWNLOAD & DIE #2 CVR B KELLY    $3.99
FEB180467    HAUNTED HORROR #33    $4.99
FEB180459    OCTOBER FACTION SUPERNATURAL DREAMS #2 CVR A WORM    $3.99
FEB180460    OCTOBER FACTION SUPERNATURAL DREAMS #2 CVR B WORM    $3.99
JAN180575    OUTPOST AMAZON GAME    $19.99
FEB180466    RICK VEITCH THE ONE #3 (OF 6)    $4.99
JAN180454    ROM & THE MICRONAUTS #4 (OF 5) CVR A SU    $3.99
JAN180455    ROM & THE MICRONAUTS #4 (OF 5) CVR B MILONOGIANNIS    $3.99
FEB180339    SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #2 CVR A HESSE    $3.99
FEB180340    SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #2 CVR B THOMAS    $3.99
FEB180405    STAR TREK NEW VISIONS ENEMY OF MY ENEMY    $7.99
JAN180515    STRETCH ARMSTRONG & FLEX FIGHTERS #3 (OF 3) CVR A AMANCIO    $3.99
JAN180516    STRETCH ARMSTRONG & FLEX FIGHTERS #3 (OF 3) CVR B KOUTSIS    $3.99
JAN180541    SWORD OF AGES #3 CVR A RODRIGUEZ    $3.99
JAN180542    SWORD OF AGES #3 CVR B RODRIGUEZ    $3.99
FEB180398    TMNT ONGOING #81 CVR A WACHTER    $3.99
FEB180399    TMNT ONGOING #81 CVR B EASTMAN    $3.99
JAN180493    TMNT USAGI YOJIMBO EXPANDED ED    $17.99
FEB180441    TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE TP VOL 03    $17.99
JAN180568    UNDERWHERE TP    $14.99
NOV170561    VIOLETTE AROUND THE WORLD HC VOL 01 MY HEAD IN THE CLOUDS    $12.99
FEB180491    X-FILES CONSPIRACY THEORY GAME    $39.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 11, 2018

IMAGE COMICS

JAN180698    BEAUTY #21 CVR A HAUN & FILARDI (MR)    $3.99
JAN180699    BEAUTY #21 CVR B MCCAIG (MR)    $3.99
FEB180544    CLOVER HONEY SPEC ED TP (MR)    $12.99
JAN180663    COYOTES TP VOL 01    $9.99
FEB180502    CRUDE #1 (MR)    $3.99
FEB180506    DEAD HAND #1 (MR)    $3.99
FEB180611    DEADLY CLASS #33 CVR A CRAIG (MR)    $3.99
FEB180612    DEADLY CLASS #33 CVR B STOKELY (MR)    $3.99
FEB180617    DRY COUNTY #2 (MR)    $3.99
JAN180740    ETERNAL EMPIRE #8    $3.99
JAN180666    FAMILY TRADE TP VOL 01    $16.99
FEB180628    GIDEON FALLS #2 CVR A SORRENTINO (MR)    $3.99
FEB180629    GIDEON FALLS #2 CVR B CHIANG (MR)    $3.99
DEC170719    LAZARUS X PLUS 66 TP (MR)    $16.99
FEB180660    NO 1 WITH A BULLET #6 (OF 6)    $3.99
FEB180661    OBLIVION SONG BY KIRKMAN & DE FELICI #2    $3.99
FEB180668    PRISM STALKER #2    $3.99
FEB180673    ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN TP VOL 02 (MR)    $14.99
FEB180676    ROSE #10 CVR A GUARA    $3.99
FEB180677    ROSE #10 CVR B LOOPYDAVE    $3.99
FEB180678    ROSE #10 CVR C MAGUIRE    $3.99
FEB180702    SLEEPLESS #5 CVR A DEL DUCA & SALLAH    $3.99
FEB180703    SLEEPLESS #5 CVR B REEDER    $3.99
FEB180711    VS #3 CVR A RIBIC (MR)    $3.99
FEB180712    VS #3 CVR B RIBIC & MULLER (MR)    $3.99
JAN188861    VS #3 CVR C VIRGIN CVR (MR)    $3.99

------------------------------