It’s February! You know what time it is.
February is Black History Month. It is a time where the great work and accomplishments of African Americans are recognized and celebrated. The overwhelming number of obstacles and hardships that African Americans have faced in this country is truly astounding. We support African American men and women who have made our country a better place. We would like to take some time to talk about the pioneers, leaders and innovative individuals who didn’t let up and made it happen despite the odds.
From finance to mainstream news, African Americans made major contributions to our world. Since “Black History” is often overlooked, we would like to take the time to look at great moments in time, including now, to appreciate the work being done to move everyone forward.
Black Excellence in the Finance World
As unified as we are today, we recognize that it hasn’t always been this way. During a time of segregation and a lack of resources, there had to be people who said enough was enough to accomplish great things in our world. America has gone through a lot of difficult yet beneficial changes over the decades. The mortgage industry is just one major sector under the umbrella of financial areas. The different types of financial institutions include banks, credit unions, investment companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies and mortgage companies.
Here are three trailblazers we wanted to highlight that made some major contributions to the world of finance.
Ben Slayton
Slayton became the first African American realtor in 1964. He went on to become the first African American mortgage company owner and broker in the United States. This is a major accomplishment to overcome the barriers set in place prior to the Civil Rights Movement. The ‘60s were all about fighting the discriminatory institutions in place to make life better for everyone. Slayton’s story is one that proves if you put in the hard work that anything is possible.
Maggie Lena Walker
In 1903, Maggie Lena Walker founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank. Walker was the first woman of any race to charter a bank in the United States. This was a major move during this time when women’s rights and African American rights were unheard of. It took a lot of work and courage for Walker to make her vision come to life.
Kiko Davis
Black History is not only made up of accomplishments from the past. It is an ever-growing history that is being made to this day. Fast-forward to the present, there is only one African American woman in the U.S. who owns and operates a bank. Meet Kiko Davis.
Kiko Davis is a major stockholder of the First Independence Bank. This is the tenth-largest African American-owned bank in the country. This major accomplishment shows that if you keep climbing you will succeed.
To sum it all up, Black History Month is great for retelling stories of the past and sharing what’s currently happening in our country. Feel free to share this post on social media to highlight good work and never forget to keep climbing.
The Home Loan Expert
