Mary Ellen Pleasant - Real Estate Mogul - Kids‘ Premium Hoodie

Mary Ellen Pleasant (1814-1904) was a 19th-century entrepreneur, financier, real estate magnate, and abolitionist. She was arguably the first self-made millionaire of African-American heritage, preceding Madam C. J. Walker by several decades.

 

 Pleasant’s first husband died, but she remarried in 1848 and soon headed west, arriving in San Francisco at the height of California’s gold fever. She quickly found a job as a cook, eavesdropping on the wealthy men she served and filing away financial tips.

  

Pleasant quickly established herself as a successful businesswoman. She opened a number of restaurants and boardinghouses, which were popular with miners and other newcomers to the city. She also invested heavily in real estate, acquiring properties throughout San Francisco and Oakland.

 Pleasant's business success allowed her to become a major financial supporter of the abolitionist movement. She donated money to anti-slavery organizations and helped to fund the Underground Railroad. She also provided financial support to black immigrants and refugees in San Francisco.

 

 She supported the passage of laws that prohibited discrimination against black people in public transportation and other public accommodations. She also challenged the state's segregation laws in court, winning several landmark victories.

 

Pleasant's activism and business success made her a controversial figure in San Francisco. She was often criticized for her outspokenness and her willingness to challenge the status quo. However, she also gained a reputation as a powerful and influential leader. She was known as the "Mother of Civil Rights in California".

 

Pleasant died in 1904 at the age of 89. She left behind a legacy as a successful businesswoman, a tireless abolitionist, and a champion for civil rights.

 

Here are some specific examples of Pleasant's activism and business acumen:

 

• In 1856, Pleasant helped to found the San Francisco Female Benevolent Society, which provided aid to poor and indigent women, regardless of race.
• In 1863, Pleasant helped to found the Mercantile Bank of San Francisco, which was the first bank in California to allow black people to open accounts.
• In 1866, Pleasant sued and won a landmark case against the owner of a San Francisco streetcar company who had refused to allow her to ride because of her race.
• In 1872, Pleasant provided financial support to John Brown Jr., the son of the abolitionist leader John Brown, who was planning to raid a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. 

Pleasant's business ventures were also successful. She owned a number of restaurants and boardinghouses in San Francisco, as well as several properties in the city and in Oakland. She also invested in stocks and bonds, and she was a shareholder in the Bank of California.

 

Pleasant's wealth and influence allowed her to become a major power player in San Francisco society. She was friends with many of the city's most prominent citizens, including politicians, businessmen, and artists. She was also a generous philanthropist, and she donated money to a variety of charitable causes.

 

Mary Ellen Pleasant was a complex and fascinating figure. She was a successful businesswoman, a tireless abolitionist, and a champion for civil rights. She was also a controversial figure, but she was undoubtedly one of the most influential African Americans of her time.

 

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