The entrepreneurial spirit is a cornerstone of American culture, but history books too often leave out the extensive contributions of minorities and women. In honor of Black History Month, Stacker is shining a light on 50 Black entrepreneurs who made a lasting influence on the business world—and, often in the process, civil rights—from the Revolutionary War to today.
The abrupt end to slavery in 1865 following the conclusion of the Civil War freed about 4 million people but left them without a clear trajectory forward. Black Codes afforded freed people the right to sue in court and marry but stipulated other discriminatory rules like keeping them from serving on juries or in state militias.
During the Reconstruction Era, which lasted until 1867, the government sought to mitigate the fallout from slavery and integrate African Americans into society. But white business owners withdrew from Black clientele and kept African Americans from participating in the industrial sector, refusing to hire Black workers for white-collar jobs.
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