1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: So it's everyone needs a great pair of wireless earbuds. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: But before you go dropping hundreds of dollars on a pair, 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: you need to check out the wireless earbuds from Recon. 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Recon earbuds start off about half the price of any 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: other premium wireless earbuds on the market, and they sound 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: just as amazing. The company was actually co founded by 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: Ray j and celebrities like Stoop Dog, Melissy Aathe Cardib, 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: Brandy j R. Smith and Moore are already obsessed. Recon's 9 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: wireless earbuds are so comfortable and so easy to take anywhere. 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: Unlike some of your other wireless options, Recon earbuds are 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: both stylish and discreet, with no dangling wires or stems. 12 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: And of course they don't just look great, they sound 13 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: great too, and they're perfect for listening to all your 14 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: favorite I heart radio podcasts on the go. Recon offers 15 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: their wireless earbuds for everyone in a range of fun 16 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: colors and at an unbeatable price. So go to buy 17 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: Recon dot com slash I heart to get off your order. 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: That's by Recon dot com Slash I Heart for off 19 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: Recon why your list ear buds if you've been eyeing 20 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: a parent, now is the time to get an amazing 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 1: deal one more time. By raycon dot Com slash I 22 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: Heart My Next Dance received his undergraduate degree from more 23 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: House College and Atlanta, Georgia. Here's a journalist, writer, and 24 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: Emmy winning TV producer. He's worked for CNN and Good 25 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: Morning America. He's the author of Black Fortunes. Please welcome 26 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: to Money Making Conversation, SAMRII Wheels, Hey, I appreciate that 27 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: kind of puction. I'm so happy he's happy to be 28 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: on your show with Honor. Hey. But I hope, I hope. 29 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: I'm the I know your show, but your book been 30 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: getting out that they've been getting great reviews, and you 31 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: broadcasting live in Atlanta. Of course you'll be heard on 32 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: our Heart Radio podcasts and UH series X in one 33 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: for the one and one for the two HBCU campus 34 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: because I really, I really want to make sure that 35 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: HBC hbc U campuses get this message because it really 36 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: is UH. It's something about because it's about entrepreneurship and 37 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: that's that millennial generation is talking about. That's what they 38 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: want to be and to hear about people who can 39 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: talk about overcoming the odds, overcoming a slavery, overcoming racism. 40 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: I'm overcoming Jim crow Laws, how did you when you 41 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: started getting to this? Let's give everybody your backstory on 42 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: what got you started and saying this is a book 43 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,680 Speaker 1: I should be engaged with. So you know, not to 44 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: be too long winded, but I started your story and 45 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: turn your story. I started out in journalism in New 46 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: York at the New York carab News, which is like 47 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: the new spaper for the Caribbean community in New York. 48 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: And I was in Jamaica for for a little while 49 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: doing some reporting, and I happened to visit this place 50 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: called Devin House, which you know, is this mansion. It's 51 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: incredible mansion that has a restaurant and ice cream shop 52 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: at it, and you know, everybody's like, you gotta go 53 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: to the ice cream is really good. You know, I 54 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 1: went there, and you know, it's also the house of 55 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: the first black millionaire uh in Jamaica that they've kind 56 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: of repurposed as an ice cream shopping all this other stuff. 57 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: So I just I just went on the tour of 58 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: the mention. They told me this guy's story. You know, 59 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: he was a carpenter on a ship, you know, in 60 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: the eighteen forties shipwrecked. He uh you know, this is 61 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: right off the coast of Venezuela. He swam to the 62 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: coast and found a gold mine, uh and became a millionaire. 63 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: So after you know, you know, find out about him 64 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: and this is incredible story and all the things he 65 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: did with as well. I actually thought about writing a 66 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: book about him, but you know, you know, like like 67 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: like Zara had to come back to the States, so 68 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: unfortunately I couldn't today in Jamaica forever. So um, what 69 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: I what I did is I I kind of adapted 70 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: that idea and I started looking at African American millionaires 71 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: here and I really wanted to tell the stories of 72 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: the very first because most folks don't even know, you know, 73 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: who they are. Well, I definitely on the one I 74 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: knew was Madam C. J. Walker that you that you 75 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: cover in this book because you know Black History Month 76 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: they always bring up. You know, she started basically hair 77 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: care products and she made her wealth through that. And 78 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: so when you when you when you talk about her, 79 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: I love the fact that you said she was the 80 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: only one that really you know, flaunted her wealth. You know, 81 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: she bought the car, she bought, the range, she bought 82 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: the house, and she wore the clothes. You know. So 83 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: why do you think that she chose that path of saying, Hey, 84 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm making this money and I'm going to live the 85 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: lifestyle of what I what I'm making. Um, you know, 86 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: I think that was always her claim the same you 87 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: know that you know, she kind of lived, you know, 88 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: a really ostentatious lifestyle. She wasn't the first, you know 89 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: person you know, she wasn't really the black hair pioneer 90 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: a lot of folks think she she was. There's another 91 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: uh woman named Annie Malone who also was a black 92 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: millionaire who she worked for, and you know, you know, 93 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: you know, they kind of had a competition thing. It's 94 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: very controversial, um, you know, because her products were basically 95 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: the same as Annie Malone's when she went out on 96 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: her own. Um, but you know, she you know, just 97 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: you know, coming out of the Jim Crow era, you know, 98 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: in the early nineteen hundreds, and you know, black folks 99 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: were starting to, uh, you know, feel like maybe it's 100 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: okay to show off some of what we had, and 101 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: she just kind of took it to the next level. 102 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: She spent a lot of money. Uh, you know, she 103 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: shot or fifth Avenue um. You know, so everybody knew 104 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: about her wealth, as opposed to the folks who came 105 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: before her, who had to worry about lynching things. And 106 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: you know, I had to worry about all sorts of 107 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: you know, bad things happening to them. So they were 108 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: a little bit more in the cut Let me let 109 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: was just such a stage here because I want people 110 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: to understand exactly what we're talking about. Because we read 111 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: about today's black billion there as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Tyler, Perry, 112 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: Kevin Harden, many more in their sports and entertainment industry. 113 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: But your book tells the story about this country's first 114 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: black millionaires, some of them born in the first half 115 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: of the n eineteenth century, decades before the Emancipation Proclamation. 116 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: I think that that's important that people to understand that 117 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,600 Speaker 1: these people were out there being um industrious in an 118 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: era where you know, you were supposed to stay in 119 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 1: your place, lynching was just a norm. Uh. And I 120 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: want to talk about you. You talked about six people 121 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: in the book, Well you talked about more, but six 122 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: people really were identified to Mary Ellen Pleasant, Robert read Church, 123 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:14,760 Speaker 1: Hannah Elias uh Any, Turnbow Turnbow Malone, and we had O. W. Gurley, 124 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: and we had Madame C. J. Walker. I want to 125 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: talk about each one of them a little bit. I'm 126 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: not I don't want to give way the book, but 127 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: I thought it's important that you put your spin on 128 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 1: while each one was significant and why you chose to 129 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: follow their story. And let's start with Mary Ellen Pleasant, 130 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: you know, who contribute a lot, a lot of money 131 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: and almost went broke when you tried to further the 132 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: cause of abolitionist John Brown. Yeah. So, I mean, you know, 133 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: she actually did end up going broke. I mean said 134 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: an incredible story story because she was born free in Massachusetts. 135 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: I started in Philadelphia. She grew up in Massachusetts on 136 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: the island of Nantucket, which was white. All the big 137 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: whaling boom was going on, all the Moby Dicks sort 138 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 1: of stuff. Would a habit kind of catch whales and 139 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 1: become risk that way. She grew up in that and 140 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: so Nantucket was a boomtown because welling was really really, 141 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: really profitable. Um when she reached the womanhood, she ended 142 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: up going to San Francisco during the gold Rush. Um, 143 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: you know, his folks were making a lot of money 144 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: out there, and you know she kind of, you know, miraculously, 145 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: she kind of knew what to do when she got 146 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: there because she had grown up in a boomtown. Yeah, 147 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: because it was just booming. So you know, whale oil, 148 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: you know, which was like the you know, petroleum was 149 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: like the gasoline of the era. Was its like the 150 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: second and third most profitable business in America at the time. 151 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: So you know, she knew what it was like to 152 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: be in a booming area and you know, how to 153 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 1: make money. And so what she did is she went 154 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: about providing services to the miners. She didn't try to, 155 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 1: of course, go mind's gold herself. She opened uh, you know, 156 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: boarding houses, She became a money lender. Uh, she traded 157 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: in silver. She just had her things, her hands and everything. 158 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: In California, in San Francisco. She stayed behind the scene. 159 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: She she stayed behind the scenes. You know, she she 160 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: she was active, but you know she always you know, 161 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: worked with men, you know, a lot of times worked 162 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: with you know, Caucasian's um. So a lot of folks 163 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: did not know that she was necessarily the one, you know, 164 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: sort of with the money, uh and you know, with 165 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: the insights. So she made a lot of money, and 166 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: you know, she ended up in eighteen fifty eight, you know, 167 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: having a meeting with John Brown. Uh, you know, the 168 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: revolutionary started trying to try to start a slavery fault 169 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: in America, and she gave him forty five thousand dollars um. 170 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: You know, so he he started his slave regard at 171 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: Harvest Ferry, which failed, of course. And uh, after that happened, 172 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: you know, folks started trying to track down everybody who 173 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: was associated with her. So she went into uh, you know, 174 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: she went into hiding. Uh. You know, she's basically you know, 175 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: broke or didn't have access to any of her money 176 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: at that point. And she had a come back. Yack, 177 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: we're gonna back. We're gonna come back a little bit 178 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: on the next break, and we're gonna talk about the 179 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: other five people that you featured in this book. An 180 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: amazing book. If you're an entrepreneur, you gotta buy this 181 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: book because the fact that you say, hey, I'm gonna 182 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: gainst the odds. They really were against dogs. We were 183 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: back with more with Shamari Wills and this amazing book 184 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: from HarperCollins. Hi this Rashan McDonald back with money making 185 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: conversations on the phone, I have Shamari Wills. He is 186 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: the author of Black Fortune, tells the story of six 187 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: uh six millionaires Black millionaires, including Lando on A Robert 188 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: Reid Church. Uh Here's an interesting fact that I got 189 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: from the book. Between the years of eighteen thirty and 190 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: eighteen twenty seven, as the last generation of Blacks born 191 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: in the slavery with reaching maturity, a small group of 192 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: industrious to nations and darren men and women broke new 193 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: ground to attain the highest level of financial success. But 194 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: here's something about slavery. The lifespan for an enslaved African 195 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: American was between twenty two and thirty six years. That's that. 196 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: That's an incredible stat that knowing at you know, if 197 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: you hit forty, you you were lucky to hit forty 198 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: years of age. So when you were when you was 199 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: building this information about this story, I'm sure there was 200 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: some some points in it that made you very emotional. Yeah, 201 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, I mean that that was one of them, 202 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: you know, you know, just realizing how short you know 203 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: a lot of the of these folks lives you know, 204 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: were you know, and how hard the life of being um, 205 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, enslaved. It was and how hard you know, uh, 206 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: you know folks fought, you know to end slavery. You know, 207 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: so it's just it was. It was you know, emotional 208 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: and Griffin, yeah, many different points. Yeah, that that's that's that. 209 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: When I read that, I went, wow, that's really really 210 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: really amazing. Well we we we featured several in several 211 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: situations in this book. I severn, I should say millionaires 212 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: of the book and Robert read Church, all right, he's responsible. 213 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: I would like to say for Bill Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Um, 214 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: let's talk about his story and why I was important 215 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 1: to have him in louded in this book. You know, 216 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: I think robbery Church in my opinion, you know, he's 217 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: up there with one of the with the most impressive 218 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: Americans to ever live. So you know, he was born 219 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: into slavery, you know, to a uh, to a white man, 220 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: to a steamship owner and his his his black concubine. Uh. 221 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: And basically he was raised on his father's steamship as 222 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: a slave, you know, sort of working in the kitchens 223 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: and all that sort of stuff. Um. And you know 224 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: these steamships they did two things. They were luxury transportation, 225 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: up and down the Mississippi, but the main source of 226 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: revenue was that they shipped cotton. So he was enslaved 227 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: on his ship shipping cotton, uh, you know, down the 228 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: Mississippi to the port of New Orleans to get shipped 229 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: all over the world. Um. So eventually he escaped. Um 230 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: he you know, you know, he jumped over and in 231 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: the Mississippi outside of Memphis, and he you know, swims 232 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: the freedom, you know, watches up on the shore of 233 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 1: men this and sort of builds a life for himself. Uh. 234 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 1: And you know, nothing was ever easy. You know. He 235 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: was always involved in real estate and you know, owning 236 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: bars and parlors and different things of that nature. Um. 237 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: And everything he had, you know, at some point someone 238 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: tried to take it from him. He was you know, 239 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: had two different assassinations at him. He was shotting here twice, 240 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 1: got in the head twice, you know. Uh, you know, 241 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: just had to deal with you know, you know groups 242 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: of you know, uh you know, white white race. Mom's 243 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: good friends of his with Lynch at some point. So 244 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: he kept the pistol on his side at all times. 245 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: And he just never gave up, uh and became this big, 246 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: big time real estate owner in Memphis and used his 247 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: money in his power to help black politicians along the way. Um, 248 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:46,760 Speaker 1: you know, and at the end of his life he 249 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: was even friends with Roosevelt's friendly with the President. So, 250 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,559 Speaker 1: I mean, he's just had an amazing stories. He's he's 251 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: one of my favorite historical Well let's let's be honest 252 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: about it. Basically, his wealth saved Vincus because he one 253 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: of the first people who bought a bond. Absolutely absolutely, absolutely, 254 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: not just black Memphis, Memphis in general. Memphis had a 255 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: bad yellow fever outbreak um in the eighteen seventies which 256 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: almost destroyed the city. Um. You know, you know it's 257 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: you know, I think something like a fifth of the 258 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: population died and people were just leaving the city like crazy. Uh. 259 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: In Memphis was completely bankrupt. Um. So as they tried 260 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: to rebuild the city, they needed people to loan their money. UM. 261 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: So they issue bonds, and the first person to buy 262 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: a bond was Robert Church, a black man UM in 263 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: the southern city. And you know that, you know, kind 264 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: of when he stepped out, you know, other businessmen started 265 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: buying bonds as well. So he had a big part 266 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: in saving Memphis and bringing it back. Let's talk about 267 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: a couple of questions. I want to ask you, in 268 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: what way is the book you wrote different from the 269 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: book you set out to write. Well, I think the 270 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: biggest way is I kind of, you know, wanted to 271 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: kind of try to as best I could, you know, 272 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: put down on paper who the first black millionaires actually were. 273 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: And you know, they were all over the place. Bob 274 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: Church was in Memphis, Mary Ellen Pleasant in California. O. W. 275 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: Gurley and Oklahoma, Hanna Elias and New York, um, you know, 276 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: Annie Malone and you know, the Midwest. But so I 277 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: didn't expected stories to intersect, but they actually did a 278 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: lot because the black business community, right Nick, and you 279 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: know book Rite Washington actually had a organization, the National 280 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: Negro Business League, and they would have conventions every year 281 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: and a lot of them met there. Plat of them 282 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: also knew Frederick Douglas when he was alive and book 283 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: uh book watching of course, and W. E. B. Dubois. 284 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: So just how much of their story is intersected, even 285 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: though they were in different parts of the country. Uh, 286 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: you know, it was sort of amazing to me. We're 287 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: really interesting. This is kind of like the hidden figures 288 00:14:50,160 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: for entrepreneurship, because we don't know about these people and 289 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: what they've accomplished and effect that they accomplished on such 290 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: great odds, great odds and the you know adversity. Why 291 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: don't we know more of mar these are black millionaires? Well, 292 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, I asked myself that question when 293 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: I was writing this. You know, I think part of 294 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: it is that people think Madam T. J. Walker is 295 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: the first black millionaire, and that was kind of a 296 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: black history non facts. You know, It's been pushed out, 297 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: been pushed out a lot, and I even heard of 298 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: growing up. Um, So I believe me, believe you're the 299 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: only one. Mr Wills. I was right there with you 300 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: when I read your book. I went, okay, now I'm 301 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: educated properly, right, you know. And she never really had 302 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: a million dollars. I mean she was, she became wealthy 303 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: towards eighteen eighteen, eighteen nineteen, uh, you know, but there 304 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: were folks that had, you know, a millionaire status, you know, 305 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: in the you know, in the eighteen fifties and eighteen sixties, 306 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, you know, fifty years, half a century before that, um, 307 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: you know, And so I think it's part of it. C. J. Walker. 308 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: Memph is a big part of it um and you know, 309 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: I'm just happy to try to try to get the 310 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: information out there, you know, for folks to know that 311 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: there is a history of us having well, history of 312 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: us being successful uh in business. M The dates back, 313 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: you know, a really really long time monger than most 314 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: of us. Things. First of all, I want to make 315 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: sure we people understand this about our conversation. There's nothing 316 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: negative about what we're saying about Madam C. J. Walker. 317 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: Want to make sure people understand that it's just the 318 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: information that's been given to us over the years. We 319 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: have not been given the full story. And that's what 320 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 1: your book delivers. Your book is delivering the full story 321 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: if you if your person who wants to understand the 322 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: the pitfalls of entrepreneurship overcoming the odds. You know, Church 323 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: is a great story because when there was when there 324 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: was a disaster in the city of Memphis, he was 325 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: right there to take advantage of it. The the the 326 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: That's what made him small, That's what made these individuals 327 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: they were. They were always visionaries. They were all forward 328 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: thinking people. They're all people who all an opportunity and 329 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: they jumped on it. They didn't then and capitalize on it. 330 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,959 Speaker 1: And I think that is the story that that I 331 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: feel that if you're an entrepreneur, and this book is 332 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: about entrepreneurship, and I feel people should read it if 333 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: you're thinking about if you're end if your small business owner, 334 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: or or a fortunate company, I feel you should read 335 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: this book because of the fact that it allows you 336 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: to understand how you can win against all odds. That's 337 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: the biggest takeaway I got from your book, Wills. I 338 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: appreciate that, you know, I mean, and I think people 339 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: always ask me, like, what is you know? This book 340 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: takes place so long in the past, you know how 341 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,159 Speaker 1: to apply to business people now. And I think the 342 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: trade that these folks had is that they were visionaries 343 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: with like you said, and they weren't necessarily looking to 344 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: go into traditional businesses or you know businesses and black 345 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: people had gone into before, you know, like restaurant owning 346 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: or grocery stores or catering, which where the biggest businesses 347 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: for black people at the time. Um, they were looking 348 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: at high growth, you know, high risk cot reward industries. 349 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 1: You know the gold rush, you know, becoming a real 350 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:12,159 Speaker 1: estate owner in the rebuilding you know, southern city building 351 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: a town. One of the characters in My Annie Malone 352 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: she built the black hair business when there was no 353 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: such thing, and so they were not looking at, you know, 354 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: what's the traditional business for people to go into. They 355 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: were looking at for big opportunities. They were trying to 356 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: they were really on the cutting edge for their time. 357 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: And you know, I think that something replies today with 358 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: tech and artificial intelligence and you know, biotechnology. Uh, you know, 359 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: it would be great to see more black folks trying 360 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: to be on you know, the cutting edge and taking inspiration, 361 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: you know, from these folks, cause we're really underrepresented in 362 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: a lot of those areas well. I had the same 363 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 1: conversation with Lania Richardson, he's the over the Rutgers School 364 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: of Business. He was saying the same thing, you know, 365 00:18:56,920 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: and the drones, Um, all automatic cars are just not 366 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: going to the traditional restaurant, car wash, the services that 367 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: we tend to fall into on the regular basis. There's 368 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: so many uh, you know, artificial intelligence, there's so many 369 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: levels of uh, the STEM programs that we need to 370 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: be rushing into because of the fact that technology is 371 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: not going anywhere. But I want to just let you 372 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: know that your book, Black Fortunes, the story of the 373 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: first six African Americans who escaped slavery and became millionaires, 374 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: is an amazing book. It is a must read book. 375 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: I've enjoyed. It also has pictures. The thing I loved 376 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: about the book is just how you allowed the stories 377 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 1: to be told. You just didn't do a chapter completely 378 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: about the story. You showed how they kind of like 379 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: they kind of cross paths, and I thought that was 380 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: really impressive. Mr Wills. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. 381 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. If you want to buy this book, 382 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: go to Amazon. Just just type in Black Fortunes. It 383 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: will pop right up and they should give you a 384 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,880 Speaker 1: short bio about the book, and uh, let you understand 385 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: you're about to read something very significance. You keep up 386 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: the great work, my friend. I hope we run path 387 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: a cross paths in the future. Let me sai. I 388 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Thank you for having me on. Listening makes 389 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: us smarter, more connected people. It makes us better partners, parents, 390 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 1: and leaders. And there's no better place to start listening 391 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: than Audible. Audible is where so many inspiring voices and 392 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: compelling stories open listeners up to new experiences in ways 393 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: of thinking. Audible members now get more than ever before. 394 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: Members choose three titles every month, one audiobook plus two 395 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: Audible originals that you can't hear anywhere else. Members also 396 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,360 Speaker 1: have unlimited access to more than a hundred audio guided 397 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 1: fitness and meditation programs. Audible delivers best sellers, business, self 398 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: improvement memoirs, and more, all professionally narrated by actors, authors, 399 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 1: and motivational superstars like Rachel Hollis, David Goggins, and Mel Robbins. 400 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: Audible members can also get free access to the New 401 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post delivered daily 402 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: to the Audible app. With a convenient app, members can 403 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: access Audible any time at the gym, while commuting or 404 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: on the go, and on any device will always pick 405 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 1: right back up where you left off. Audible also offers 406 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: free and easy audiobook exchanges, credits you can roll over 407 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: for a year in a library you keep forever even 408 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: if you cancel. Explore all the ways listening on Audible 409 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,120 Speaker 1: can help improve mind, body, and soul. With entertainment, information 410 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: and inspiration. You can get titles from your favorite I 411 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: Heeart talent, such as Chelsea Handler, Danny Shapiro, Charlemagne the God, 412 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 1: and Bobby Bones on Audible. Start listening now with a 413 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: thirty day Audible trial and your first audiobook plus two 414 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: Audible originals, are free. Visit audible dot com, slash I 415 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: heart or text I heeart to five hundred, five hundred