Anthony Overton Jr. (March 18, 1864 – July 2, 1946),[1] was an American banker and manufacturer. He was the first African American to lead a major business conglomerate.[2]
Anthony Overton, the son of Anthony and Martha DeBerry Overton, was born in Monroe, Louisiana. There [4] his father operated a grocery and was elected to the Louisiana legislature, serving between 1871 and 1874. At some point before 1880, his family moved from Louisiana to Topeka, Kansas.[5] His father had been born into slavery, and was among the slaves emancipated by Abraham Lincoln.[6] His father ultimately became a small business owner, and made sure young Anthony had greater opportunities. Anthony attended Washburn College in Topeka, and after graduating with a degree in Chemistry,[7] he studied law, earning his legal degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1888. He briefly worked as a lawyer, and became a judge in Shawnee, Kansas.[8]
Business careeredit
In 1898, Overton established the Hygienic Manufacturing Company, which produced goods for drug stores and groceries.[9] The products included High Brown Face Powder, which was "the first market success in the sale of cosmetics for black women".[10] In 1911, he moved his business from Kansas to Chicago.[11] Overton also opened a grocery store in Kansas City, Kansas by the late 1890s.[12]
In 1916 he established Half-Century Magazine.[13] In 1923 he established the Douglass National Bank, the second nationally chartered black-owned bank in the United States.[14] He went on to develop a highly diverse conglomerate, including the Great Northern Realty Company, and the Victory Life Insurance Company. In 1925, he founded the Chicago Bee, a black newspaper known for its support of liberal causes. The newspaper was unusual because one of its managing editors was a woman, Olive M. Diggs.[15] In 1927 The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) awarded him its Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American. That same year, he was also given the prestigious Harmon award's first award and Gold medal in Business. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.[16] In addition, there is an elementary school in Chicago that is named after him.[17]
After Overton's death in 1946, the Bee was briefly continued by his sons in a tabloid format.[18] It folded in 1947.[19]
^"Good Banking Speaks for Itself." Chicago Courier, November 15, 1975, p. 1
^"Kansas City." (Topeka KS) Plaindealer, December 15, 1899, p. 1.
^Weems, Robert E. (2020). The Merchant Prince of Black Chicago. University of Illinois Press. doi:10.5406/j.ctvxkn5wn. ISBN9780252051920. JSTOR 10.5406/j.ctvxkn5wn.
"Anthony Overton". The Journal of Negro History (July 1947), Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 394–396.
"Anthony Overton: Born Entrepreneur"
Grant, Carl A.; Grant, Shelby J. (2013). The Moment: Barack Obama, Jeremiah Wright, and the Firestorm at Trinity United Church of Christ. ISBN978-1442219977.
Lash, Nicholas A. (2005), "Black-owned banks: A survey of the issues", Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 187–202.
Mahoney, Olivia (2001). Douglas/Grand Boulevard: A Chicago Neighborhood. ISBN0738518557.
The Herstorian Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 2.
Trodd, Zoe (2011). "The Black Press and the Black Chicago Renaissance". In Tracy, Steven C. (ed.). Writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance. ISBN978-0252093425.
Walker, Juliet E. K. (2010). "African American Women Business Enterprises: Since the Civil War to Civil Rights, 1865–1964".
February 15, 2024
anthony, overton, march, 1864, july, 1946, american, banker, manufacturer, first, african, american, lead, major, business, conglomerate, born, 1865, march, 1865diedjuly, 1946, 1946, aged, overton, owned, overton, hygienic, company, successful, home, product, . Anthony Overton Jr March 18 1864 July 2 1946 1 was an American banker and manufacturer He was the first African American to lead a major business conglomerate 2 Anthony OvertonBorn 1865 03 21 March 21 1865DiedJuly 2 1946 1946 07 02 aged 81 Overton owned Overton Hygienic Company a successful home product and cosmetics firm 3 His publications included Half Century Magazine and then the Chicago Bee 3 He also owned the Great Northern Realty Company and the Victory Life Insurance Company 2 Contents 1 Early years 2 Business career 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesEarly years editAnthony Overton the son of Anthony and Martha DeBerry Overton was born in Monroe Louisiana There 4 his father operated a grocery and was elected to the Louisiana legislature serving between 1871 and 1874 At some point before 1880 his family moved from Louisiana to Topeka Kansas 5 His father had been born into slavery and was among the slaves emancipated by Abraham Lincoln 6 His father ultimately became a small business owner and made sure young Anthony had greater opportunities Anthony attended Washburn College in Topeka and after graduating with a degree in Chemistry 7 he studied law earning his legal degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1888 He briefly worked as a lawyer and became a judge in Shawnee Kansas 8 Business career editIn 1898 Overton established the Hygienic Manufacturing Company which produced goods for drug stores and groceries 9 The products included High Brown Face Powder which was the first market success in the sale of cosmetics for black women 10 In 1911 he moved his business from Kansas to Chicago 11 Overton also opened a grocery store in Kansas City Kansas by the late 1890s 12 In 1916 he established Half Century Magazine 13 In 1923 he established the Douglass National Bank the second nationally chartered black owned bank in the United States 14 He went on to develop a highly diverse conglomerate including the Great Northern Realty Company and the Victory Life Insurance Company In 1925 he founded the Chicago Bee a black newspaper known for its support of liberal causes The newspaper was unusual because one of its managing editors was a woman Olive M Diggs 15 In 1927 The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAACP awarded him its Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievement by an African American That same year he was also given the prestigious Harmon award s first award and Gold medal in Business He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity 16 In addition there is an elementary school in Chicago that is named after him 17 After Overton s death in 1946 the Bee was briefly continued by his sons in a tabloid format 18 It folded in 1947 19 See also editAfrican American business historyNotes edit https www familysearch org ark 61903 1 1 N3K6 Z51 a b Harvard Business School American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century Anthony Overton a b Mahoney 2001 p 70 https www familysearch org ark 61903 1 1 M87X V2V Hazel L Briggs Hold Funeral Rights for Anthony Overton Kansas City KS Plaindealer July 12 1946 p 1 Obituary Anthony Overton Sr Lawrence KS Western Recorder April 18 1884 p 3 Anthony Overton Obituary Chicago Bee July 14 1946 p 4 Interesting People From Peddler to Banker Chicago Metro News August 20 1988 p 9 Hopeful Signs Topeka KS Plaindealer June 20 1900 p 1 Walker p 7 Good Banking Speaks for Itself Chicago Courier November 15 1975 p 1 Kansas City Topeka KS Plaindealer December 15 1899 p 1 Weems Robert E 2020 The Merchant Prince of Black Chicago University of Illinois Press doi 10 5406 j ctvxkn5wn ISBN 9780252051920 JSTOR 10 5406 j ctvxkn5wn Lash p 189 Lester E Brown Anthony Overton Man of Ideas Chicago Bee July 14 1946 p 4 Journal of Negro History p 394 Lou Palmer Do You Know the Schools Named for Relevant Blacks Chicago Metro News January 28 1978 p 3 Trodd 2011 p 458 Grant amp Grant 2013 p 47 References edit Anthony Overton The Journal of Negro History July 1947 Vol 32 No 3 pp 394 396 Anthony Overton Born Entrepreneur Grant Carl A Grant Shelby J 2013 The Moment Barack Obama Jeremiah Wright and the Firestorm at Trinity United Church of Christ ISBN 978 1442219977 Lash Nicholas A 2005 Black owned banks A survey of the issues Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship Vol 10 No 2 pp 187 202 Mahoney Olivia 2001 Douglas Grand Boulevard A Chicago Neighborhood ISBN 0738518557 Thirteenth Annual Conference and Awards Banquet The Herstorian Newsletter Volume 3 Issue 2 Trodd Zoe 2011 The Black Press and the Black Chicago Renaissance In Tracy Steven C ed Writers of the Black Chicago Renaissance ISBN 978 0252093425 Walker Juliet E K 2010 African American Women Business Enterprises Since the Civil War to Civil Rights 1865 1964 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anthony Overton amp oldid 1195490710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
