State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [§ 288.001, Fla. Stat.]

Six of the Most Successful Black Entrepreneurs

Florida SBDC at UCFHelping Businesses Grow & Succeed

Celebrating Black History MonthSix Notable African-American Entrepreneurs

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

William Alexander Leidesdorff Jr.

• A prominent figure in trade and real estate, he helped build San Francisco’s first hotel and served as the city’s first treasurer.• Noted as America’s first millionaire of black descent.• In 1856, his estate was worth $1.4 million

(equivalent to more than $20 million today).

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

Annie Malone

• Founded Poro College, an institute established to teach people about black cosmetology. Through Malone’s college, Madam C.J. Walker learned about the science of black cosmetology.• Malone created 75,000 jobs for women worldwide.• Noted as the first black female millionaire in the

U.S. with $14 million in assets in 1920 ($167 million today).

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

Charles Clinton Spaulding, Aaron McDuffie Moore, John Merrick

• Co-founders of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1898 – the now oldest and largest African-American life insurance company in the U.S.• The company still stands today with assets

estimated at $162 million.

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

Maggie Lena Walker

• First black women in the U.S. to charter a bank.• Formed St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, of which she

was the first president.• The bank eventually merged with two other

Richmond, VA banks to form The Consolidated Bank and Trust Company; she served as chairman.

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

John H. Johnson

• Renowned businessman and publisher, Johnson was the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines.• In 1982, Johnson became the first African-American

to appear on Forbes 400.• The Johnson Publishing Company currently employs

over 2,600 people with sales of nearly $400 million.

Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed

Reginald F. Lewis

• Listed on Forbes 400 in 1992.• Considered the richest African-American in the

1980s.• His company TLC Beatrice International became the

largest black-owned business in the country with revenue of $1.8 billion, making it the first black-owned company with over $1 billion annual sales.

Florida SBDC at UCF3201 East Colonial Drive, Suite A-20

Orlando, FL 32803

www.sbdcorlando.com | 407.420.4850

Sources:http://tech.co/21-successful-black-entrepreneurs-throughout-history-2015-02

http://www.freemaninstitute.com/poro.htm

http://www.lewismuseum.org/event/2012/save-date-reginald-f-lewis%E2%80%99-70th-birthday-recognition-program