Feb 17, 2021

Question of the Day [Black History Month]: Who was Wall Street's first Black millionaire?

Answer: Jeremiah G. Hamilton

 

Questions:

  1. Despite the controversy of Wall Street at the time and his success, what can we learn from Jeremiah G. Hamilton's story? How can he inspire you to pursue success financially?
  2. Who do you look up to as a person who is successful with their finances? Why?

  3. What are some strategies that you could use to build your wealth over time?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (Blackhistory.com):

"In the mid-1800's, Jeremiah G. Hamilton was a well-known African American figure on Wall Street. Although his origins were lowly, possibly (enslaved), he was reportedly the richest Black man in the United States, possessing a fortune of $2 million, or in excess of $250 million in today’s currency.

He used a lot of his fortune to invest in real estate. For example, he paid about $7 million to buy up quite a bit of land and property in areas known today in New York as Astoria and Poughkeepsie."

To learn more, check out this Jeremiah G Hamilton Video on Youtube

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Want to watch NGPF's latest Speaker Series highlighting Black personal finance content creators? Click here.

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About the Author

Mason Butts

After graduating from UCLA with a Master's in Education, Mason spent 5 years as a science educator in a South Los Angeles public high school. He is committed to supporting the holistic growth of all students and empowering them to live a life of relational, academic, and financial success. Now settled in the Bay Area, Mason enjoys facilitating professional developments and partnering with educators as they prepare students for a bright financial future. When Mason is not building curriculum or planning a training, he can be found cycling, trying new foods, and exploring the outdoors.

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