James Coody Johnson (1864-1927)

James Coody Johnson was an African Creek lawyer, politician and entrepreneur, and a leading voice for inclusion of African Americans both before and after Oklahoma statehood.  Johnson was the son of Robert Johnson, the African Creek interpreter for the Seminole nation and Elizabeth Davis (Johnson), … Read MoreJames Coody Johnson (1864-1927)

Clifton Richardson Sr. (1892-1939)

Born in 1892 in post-Reconstruction Marshall, Texas, activist-journalist Clifton Richardson, Sr., founded two newspapers and advanced the “New Negro” philosophy.  The son of former slaves, Richardson studied at Bishop College in Marshall.  Richardson and his wife, Ruby, whom he married in 1909, moved from Marshall … Read MoreClifton Richardson Sr. (1892-1939)

Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company

Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, the largest Black-owned insurance company in the west, was founded by William Nickerson, Jr., Norman Oliver Houston, and George Allen Beavers, Jr. On July 23, 1925, they opened as the Golden State Guarantee Fund Insurance Company in a one-room … Read MoreGolden State Mutual Life Insurance Company