As its revealed in the last episode of Self Made, yes, Madam C.J. WebStevie Nicks, Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, Fleetwood Mac, Bee Gees, Star Wars, X-Files, "Worthwhile" Comedy (70s, 80s & early 90s SNL, Vintage Looney Before her wealth and fame, How the author stumbled on Sarahs story is included in this spellbinding presentation of an early America and real-life mysteries. In the late 1950s, Brown was 7 and Rector was in her late 50s when Aunt Sister would have her and her mother, Rectors youngest sister, down to her farm. And, perhaps most remarkably for the time, Sarah Rector was able to keep just about all her money. While living on Creek Indian land, Rectors parents Joseph and Rose were given hundreds of acres thought to be useless in 1907. Sarahs experiences encouraged officials in Oklahoma to provide badly needed protection for children caught up in the oil boom, especially Black and indigenous children who became targets of unscrupulous men attempting to snatch their money. 1902) and Joe, Jr. (b. Not in a position to pay for all of the acreage, Joe was able to get rid of Beckys land but was having trouble finding anyone to buy the rest. This was a burden that became so great that Joseph attempted to sell Sarahs land, but was blocked from doing so by state law, which forbade the sale of lands belonging to minors. When Sarah Rector died at age 65, she had used up a good portion of her fortune but she still had a few oil-producing wells and some real estate. Sarah Rectors case spotlighted the practice of transferring guardianship of black childrens wealth to whites. Later, Sarah received a phonograph, a piano and a Premier motor car, Bolden writes. reduce font size In a role not unfamiliar to descendants of historical figures, Brown said she finds herself constantly playing whack-a-mole as journalists and academics replicate earlier errors. Mollie McQueen, Sarahs paternal great-great-grandmother, was enslaved by Creek Chief Opothleyahola in Alabama. In the internet era, she said with a sigh, it sometimes seems like a losing battle. Eventually, it netted her upwards of $8,000 per day in todays currency. Rectors lost most of her wealth during The Great Depression. The couple reveled in their position as local royalty, driving fancy cars and hosting Joe Louis, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie in their mansion. The two-room cabin in which the Rector family lived was replaced by a five-room house. Sarah Rector became a millionaire at the age of 11. 1901), Sarah (b. Sarahs land, totaling 160 acres, was valued at a mere $556.50, roughly $15,000 today. In researching Sarah Rector, she decided to go directly to Brown and her three sisters who are still right there in Kansas City. about $11 million On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. W.E.B. About Beckys land was in Okfuskee County, and Sarah and Joe, Jr. ended up with parcels 50 miles northwest of Taft. A trillionaire is an individual with a net worth equal to at least one trillion in U.S. dollars or a similarly valued currency, such as the euro or the British pound. The adults would work in the garden farming potatoes and a rich variety of greens while Brown, her siblings and Rectors children played in the barn and the dirt and got chased by the evil geese. She recalls Rectors generosity with her time and devotion to family. Joe ended up quite satisfied when he was able to lease Sarahs land to an oil company where he received a bonus of $160. In fact, Sarahs parents had selected Porter as guardian of their daughters wealth, and he received only 2% of her total income. The couple had three children and though over a decade of marriage enjoyed the status of being local royalty. 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Born as the daughter of freedmen in 1902, Sarah Rector rose from humble beginnings to reportedly become the wealthiest black girl in the nation at the age of 11. At the height of her wealth, Sarah owned Rector Mansion, a large stone house on East 12th Street in Kansas City, and the entire block surrounding it. Sarahs cut per day was $300. Many turned out to be thieves. Alice Walton, the daughter of the Walmart founder, was ranked second with 61.8 billion U.S. dollars in net worth. The petition was denied, and he was forced to keep paying the property tax, still without knowing that land was literally a fortune fountain. She had five siblings. 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There are few records of abuses and attempted abuses suffered by Sarah and other child landowners, but her wealth and property rights made her a target for exploitation. Last year we listed Elizabeth Holmes as the worlds youngest self-made woman billionaire, worth an estimated $4.5 billion. Her and her familys net worth was estimated at 73.6 billion U.S. dollars. It would be wonderful to see a bio about her!. This raised all sorts of concerns among the Black community who believed this man would rip Sarah off her fortune. Library of CongressW.E.B. Management One newspaper dubbed her the richest negro in the world.. In October 1913, Rector received royalties of $11,567. Du Bois, who got involved with Sarah Rectors case when he heard rumors her money was being mismanaged by a white man. 1906). This was an irrevocable law so that Oklahoma could be integrated into US territory. Worlds Richest Negro Girl inspired media ridicule, fascination, alarm, For Ovechkin in winter, a deadline sell-off makes sense this spring, Commanders cut Carson Wentz and Bobby McCain, clearing cap space, The NFL deserves every bit of its raging Daniel Snyder headache, Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America. When Fleetwoods second marriage to Boyd broke down in 1978, he leaped into a new relationship with Nicks close friend Sara Recor. At the time, Sarah Rectors net worth was estimated to be comprised of about $750,000 in oil revenue, and she was bringing in over $100,000 per year. Dubois, founder and editor of the NAACPs Crisis magazine, set out to discern whether the reports were true. But it definitely isnt her.. Yet the possibility of riches teased the imagination as landholders throughout Oklahoma began striking oil. Soon after arriving to Kansas City, the Rectors bought a sprawling stone foursquare at the corner of 2000 East 12th Street. When Rector died at age 65 on July 22, 1967, her wealth was diminished, but she still had some working oil wells and By the time she was 11, her portion of the familys land was earning more than 300,000 a year, drawing both suitors and global attention despite her age. Certainly, the spending coupled with what Brown believes was little understanding of managing money didnt help. Who was this girl, and how did she become one of the richest people in the early-20th-century US? Soon, the wells, which would come to number in the dozens, were pumping 2,500 gallons a day, with about $300 a day a 12.5 percent cut flowing Sarahs way, Bolden writes. When the Indian territory where Rector was born became Oklahoma in 1907, the federal government granted each member of the Creek Nation a land allotment, including descendants of people enslaved by the Nation like four-year-old Sarah Rector. Ironically, this government prohibition proved to be the familys greatest blessing. Even as tens of thousands of Native Americans were forcibly relocated northwest to Indian Territory from 1831 to 1850 in the genocidal journey known as The Trail of Tears, the tribes largely sided with the Confederate states during the Civil War. He also concluded that the men that wrote her were fine looking chaps.. 5 Advantages Of In-Home Therapy And Rehabilitation, NFL COVID PROTOCOLS: OUTBREAK POSTPONES STEELERS-TITANS. and last updated 8:53 PM, Mar 02, 2021 KANSAS CITY, Mo. At the age of 20, she married Kansas City businessman Kenneth Campbell and the couple hosted such local royalty as Joe Louis, Duke Ellington and Count Basie in their mansion. Claim #2: China is a Good Faith Peacemaker . Couple Whose Gender Reveal Party Triggered A Catastrophic Forest Fire Now Face Charges, Inside The Gruesome Murder Of Mark Kilroy At The Hands Of A Satanic Cult, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. She can afford it. She never said she was rich.. Of course, there was a trick in this Act, and black children were simply granted the worst parts of the land; generally rocky and infertile soil so the good allotments could be granted to white settlers and distinctive members of the Indian tribe as it had been agreed upon. Under the laws of the time, black parents were not automatically given guardianship of their own children. As a consequence of that Act, around 600 children received land, ad Sarah was granted almost 160 acres. The ladies loved finer clothing, but being African American, they were not allowed to shop alongside white patrons in stores on Petticoat Lane. Each member of the Rector family received a 160-acre allotment of rocky, unproductive land deemed unsuitable for farming. Had the U.S. government known at the time what flowed beneath Sarahs rocky acres, they likely would have reconsidered. Now, Forbes has released its 2021 list of the top 10 richest women in the world and in first place is LOreal heiress Franoise Bettencourt Meyers, with a staggering net worth of US$92.9 billion. But instead of hearing that Porter was taking advantage of Sarah in the manner described, Du Bois was reassured. After Oklahoma earned statehood in 1907, the new state continued to draw drillers to the area hoping to get lucky. The family lived in what was called the Rector Mansion in Kansas City, but wrangling over Rectors earnings and financial mismanagement continued until she was 20. On Browns visit to the D.C. area, she set out with Riffle for the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture bearing the faded photographs of Rector as a woman. An earlier version of this article incorrectly spelled the name of Muskogee County. Yet depending on the publication, the family was either senselessly rich or persistently poor. Through sheer chance Sarah Rector became one of the richest children in America. They lived in a five-room cottage and even owned a car, a rarity for Blacks at the time. While lands granted to former slaves were usually rocky and infertile, Rectors allotment from the Creek Indian Nation was located in the middle of the Glenn Pool oil field and was initially valued at $556.50. But as Self Made shows, their marriage deteriorated as she grew successful, and they divorced in 1910. Everyone has their own agenda (even those directly concerned) so we have to take bias into account. Most of the fancy parties that Sarah had where celebrities such as Duke Ellington would attend werent at the Rector mansion- they were at her home at 2600 Lockridge where she had purchased several homes on the block. Brown returned the images to the envelope. W.E.B. Du Bois, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and its magazine, the Crisis, became involved in Sarah Rectors case when Du Bois received a memo from James C. Waters, Jr., an attorney and agent affiliated with the NAACP, on June 18, 1914. FOLLOW US ONTWITTERANDINSTAGRAM. The Rector children attended school in Taft, an all-Black town. Two years later, wildcatter B.B. She felt betrayed by her bandmate. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. WebSarah Kay Ferguson Avila went to be with her Lord and Saviour on September 27, 2014 in Oklahoma City. Still, Sarahs case was so big that it inspired the creation of the Childrens Department of the NAACP to investigate and protect children from white guardians being ripped off their land and wealth. For a hundred years, these photos have depicted Sarah Rector, the Richest Black Girl in America. The Smithsonian can count on it, she said: Shell be back in touch. [11], As news of Rector's wealth spread worldwide, she began to receive requests for loans, money gifts, and marriage proposals, despite the fact that she was only 12 years old. Her grandparents had been enslaved by Creek Indians and freed after the Civil War. The Wichita BeaconNewspaper articles about Sarah Rector spread throughout America and were filled with the casual racism of the era. But she had also intentionally chosen to omit Pope-Turnbos role.. While Oprahs massive fortune wasnt built on acting, alone, she deserves to make the list. The newspaper published an article claiming that her estate was being mismanaged by her family and that she was uneducated, and had a poor quality of life. How Sarah Rector Became The 'Richest Black Girl In America' EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, EMMY NOMINATIONS 2022: Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie. When Sarahs popularity grew, her parents were forced to give up their guardianship status to a white man named T.J. Porter. Defeated, he sobbed all the way to Dallas on a train where he ended up in Baylor Hospital. Still, after being declared white, Sarah Rector was fully accepted into the elite circles of Oklahoma. Black newspapers at the time, like the Chicago Defender in 1914, were angered by this takeover. Who was the real Sarah Rector, The Richest Black Girl in America?, Missing in Action: Local artists painting of Patrick Mahomes stolen, UPDATE: Shakir is safe. Historically, racism has managed to create a well-functioning system to perpetuate ideas of race superiority and oppression towards those considered inferior to them. [4], Rector was already a millionaire by the time she had turned 18 in 1920. Some Native Americans had owned slaves and Sarahs family lived Unfortunately, Rector lost a majority of her wealth during The Great Depression and moved out of her Sarah entertained Duke Ellington, Joe Louis and Count Basie in the house that soon became known as the Rector Mansion. The White-owned newspapers across the country heralded young Sarah as the worlds richest Negro girl and gushed about her supposed fairy-tale life, all the while suggesting she was unworthy of it. This was an irrevocable law so that Oklahoma could be integrated into US territory. Her marriage to Campbell ended in 1930, and in 1934 she married William Crawford. The family resided in this home until shortly after the Stock Market Crash where it was then purchased by the Adkins Funeral Home. She would start receiving gifts, requests from loans, and even marriage proposals, some of them by german men, according to the tabloid press. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the Guinness Book of World Records. Early life. Her sudden wealth became the object of racist news coverage. She was born in an almost all-black town called Taft in Oklahoma, a land that was considered at the time an Indian Territory. Historically, racism has In 1913, the independent oil driller B.B. Manuel and Joe arrived in Mexico on Joes dollar but all the money evaporated while trying to target this land in Tampico. She bought a big house, that became known as the Rector Mansion, and all in all, things were looking great for the Rector family. In 1913, 11-year-old Sarah Rector became the richest Black girl in America, almost by accident. The judge also approved money for Rector to attend the childrens school at Tuskegee Institute. The federal government required the appointment of financial guardians, usually White men, to manage the oil wealth of Native Americans and Freedmen. Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS W.E.B. Her fortune took a hit during the Great Depression, but she still owned properties in Kansas City and Oklahoma until her death from a stroke in 1967. By the early 20th century, the Creek Freedmen, as they were known, had settled in all-Black towns dotting Indian Territory,which in 1907 became the state of Oklahoma. The 12-year-old was soon receiving marriage proposals from suitors as far away as Germany. Oh my goodness! Although historical accounts clash, Sarah Rector is believed to be Americas second black millionaire after Madam C.J. Oil Made Pickaninny Rich blared a headline in The Washington Post, which described Rector in 1914 as an orphan, crude, Black and uneducated, yet worth more than $4,000,000.. [16], Rector died on July 22, 1967, at the age of 65. Meanwhile, Chinas state-run media portrays China as acting as a good faith peacemaker. Sarah Rector moved to Kansas City in 1917, where she finished high school and stayed for the rest of her life. By the time Sarah was 18, she was worth well over one million dollars. She eventually left Tuskegee with her family and moved toKansas City, Missouri, where she bought agrand home that still stands today. By the time they had their chance to get a hold of land for their children, the pickings were slim. Black Men XCEL If theres a lesson for others in her legacy, its in the importance of financial literacy, she said. Nicks says her romantic escapades have been so amazing that she would be okay with never dating again. Who was the first richest black woman in America? Sarah's father Joseph was the son of John Rector, a Creek Freedman. The Creeks called them Estelvstethe Black People. Sarah was born on October 23, 1974 in Woodward, Oklahoma to John L. and Carol (Machacek) Ferguson. This will help towards getting the correct info out there. The couple had three sons and were recognized as local royalty, driving expensive cars and entertaining elites like Joe Louis, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie at their home. Part of the trick also included an annual payment of property tax of about 30 dollars; money Sarahs family didnt have to spare. By October 1913, 11-year-old Sarah received $11,567 in royalties from the gusher. They had to petition a court to obtain it or otherwise request a white guardian. But will go back to this in a moment. Diane Euston, a Kansas City history writer and preservationist, had seen it, too. Im not going to leave them so they can sit on someones desk, Brown said. He had lived in the home for over 17 years. Without being able to farm and make some profit from the land, Sarahs father, Joseph, petitioned the Muskogee County Court to be able to sell the land. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Sarah Rector Campbell Crawford, or Sarah Rector (ca. Aboriginal American member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, "Remembering Sarah Rector, Creek Freedwoman", "The African-Native American Genealogy Blog", "Sarah Rector The Richest Black Girl In The World", "The Unlikely Baroness | This Land Press - Made by You and Me", "United Inner City Services Hope Murals Bring Attention to the Rector House", "Black History Month From the Archives Sarah Rector: The Richest Colored Girl in the World", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarah_Rector&oldid=1142217379, American businesspeople in the oil industry, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 04:11. By 1922, Sarah was able to make her own decisions, and she married her first husband that year. It became known as the Rector Mansion, Bolden told the New York Amsterdam News. When Rector died at age 65 on July 22, 1967, her wealth was diminished, but she still had some working oil wells and real estate holdings. Women of Power Summit Shed yet to become a millionaire, crossing that threshold at about 18, with oil earnings that would be worth $14 million today. The NAACP was able to convince the Rectors to send Sarah to the Tuskegee Institutes elementary school called the Childrens Home. Registry of Corporate Directors. Sarah Rector was born in 1902 in what is today Taft, Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Rector lost a majority of her wealth during The Great Depression and moved out of her mansion on 12th Street to 2440 Brooklyn Avenue. Du Bois himself got involved, hoping to verify this story and rectify any injustice done to Sarah. [11], To help cover this expense, in February 1911, Joseph Rector leased Sarah's parcel to the Standard Oil Company. Shortly thereafter, he died and was buried in Blackjack Cemetery in Taft. 5 Factors Why You Should Be Selecting the Right Web Hosting Company. Sarah wound up marrying a former college football player she met in Kansas City. No one, including historians, is clear on what happened to Aunt Sisters money. There, the Rectors eventually moved into a home that was a far cry from that weather-whipped two-room cabin in which Sarah began life. Sarah Rector was buried in Taft Cemetery, Oklahoma. Jones produced a gusher on the land. But she was also on a dual mission: She had packed two small black-and-white photographs of Aunt Sister to hand to the right authority at the African American Museum in D.C. We were going to present them and say, This is the record. I purchased the book of The Richest Colored Girl. Rector and her siblings went to school in Taft, an all-black town closer than Twine, they lived in a modern five-room cottage, and they owned an automobile. For their part, Black-owned newspapers, including the influential Chicago Defender, speculated anxiously that Rectors White guardian was taking advantage of her and shortchanging her education. LIKE US ONFACEBOOK. Their backward and insistent narrative has even taken them to resort to legal shenanigans to maintain their speech and benefit from it. She had three boys. Rector was already a millionaire by the time she had turned 18 in 1920. The Rector Mansion in Kansas City still stands though, and her descendants hope to buy it back from the city and turn it into a museum about her life. SistersInc. (Museum officials did not respond to a request for comment for this story.). Great greed followed great wealth, however, and the hunger for oil money sometimes led to murder, a phenomenon that played out notoriously in the decades-long killings of the Osage Indians for their oil rights beginning just a few years before Sarah struck it rich. Editors Note: This story was originally published on February 11, 2019, EVENTS The truth: At the time, Rector was living with both her parents in a two-room cabin. Rector was already a millionaire by the time she had turned 18. They said, Whatevers down there, you dont bother with it.
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