Robert Church’s Journey: From Slavery to Success

I’ve been reading Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires by Shomari Wills and I’ve learned about Robert Church. So, Robert Church was the son of a slave, and his father, a white ship captain, kept him as a slave, seemingly out of genuine concern for his safety. It’s possible part of this was due to his other children being sickly, unable to carry on the family name, leaving Robert as the sole healthy child. You can see this care reflected in various events throughout Robert’s life and his eventual success.

Confronting Adversity: Tragedies and Triumphs

He endured multiple tragedies while working on boats, including one incident where the boat burned down, yet he managed to escape. Another time, he faced adversity when people, perhaps envious of his success, shot him in the head and burned down his establishment. However, he survived and continued to thrive. Later, while riding in a horse and carriage, he was hit by a snowball containing a rock, but initially brushed it off as playful antics until he realized the danger.

He once found himself in a confrontation where he pulled out his gun, fired into the air, and the mayor fled. On another occasion, during an argument with a police officer, he was shot in the head, albeit not directly targeted.

Insights and Innovations: Combating Disease

Later, there was an outbreak of yellow fever in his hometown in Tennessee, with people dying in alarming numbers on the streets. Investigating the cause, he suspected the dirty conditions of the streets, which seemed to harbor the disease. He observed that the wooden streets often concealed dirty puddles of water beneath them. Upon lifting the streets and exposing the water to air, he speculated that the disease might be linked to these unsanitary conditions.

As time progressed, it became evident that the disease was transmitted through mosquitoes breeding in these stagnant waters. To combat the outbreak, he purchased a significant amount of land from locals, enough to make a substantial impact. He then proceeded to improve the infrastructure, renovating the streets to eliminate the stagnant water and thereby reduce the spread of the disease, potentially saving lives in the town.

Building Wealth: The Role of Real Estate Investments

Additionally, it’s worth noting that a significant portion of his wealth stemmed from his savvy investments in real estate. He acquired properties, rented them out, and sometimes resold them at higher prices. He also seized opportunities to purchase properties at low prices, particularly when they became available due to people leaving town or other circumstances. By leveraging these investments, he substantially increased his wealth, becoming one of the first black millionaires, with real estate playing a pivotal role in his financial success.

Confronting Adversity: Tragedies and Triumphs

Moreover, there seems to be a recurring theme of land and real estate in other stories as well. For instance, there’s a tale about land distribution in Oklahoma by the government. This further underscores the importance of land and real estate in shaping the fortunes of individuals like Robert Church. It’s intriguing to observe this pattern unfolding across different narratives.

Original draft written in October 2019