*This article was originally posted on Indeed.com in February 2024*
The workforce has changed considerably through each century. In addition to rapid changes in technology, the innovations of Black businesspeople and community leaders have shaped the world of work.
Many of these people are rarely discussed in mainstream conversations around Black history, yet they have been pivotal in advancing their respective industries in various ways, such as:
- Increasing job opportunities for Black employees
- Building new businesses to cater to underserved communities
- Creating new technologies that have revolutionized products and services
- Promoting equitable housing, economic empowerment and entrepreneurship
These efforts have promoted important changes in today’s job market, economy and social landscape—and none of it would be possible without seven trailblazers who transformed the way we live and work.
Philip A. Payton Jr.
Born in Westfield, Massachusetts in 1876, Philip Payton would eventually become known as the “Father of Harlem.” After moving to New York City in 1899, Payton worked as a barber, scale operator and janitor before starting a career as a real estate broker, property manager and owner. Payton’s first business struggled, but in 1904, he started the Afro-American Realty Company, which rented properties to Black people who had experienced housing discrimination.
Due to financial constraints, Payton closed the Afro-American Realty Company in 1908. However, he would later close his largest property deal ever, purchasing six properties under the Philip A. Payton Jr. Company.
Although he succumbed to liver cancer shortly afterward, Payton’s mark on the real estate industry—and American history—was already solidified. As an ambitious proprietor and advocate, Payton enabled Black families to secure livable homes in Harlem, build a community and envision themselves as owners with buying power.
Payton cultivated Harlem’s rich and vibrant culture, which made way for the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. His persistence in providing Black residents with quality housing is what the workforce is all about—using your skills, knowledge and resources to fill the gaps for those who need it most.
Related: Careers in Real Estate: Paths and Salary Info (Plus FAQs)
Maggie Lena Walker
Maggie Lena Walker started her career as a teacher in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia. After leaving the profession, she continued to teach in other ways, notably as a leader within the Independent Order of St. Luke, a civic organization. Walker turned the organization into a staple in the community by doubling its members, promoting education and encouraging Black people to invest in their own businesses and communities.
In keeping with her commitment to service and economic advancement, Walker founded the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank in 1903, making her the first Black woman in the nation to charter a bank. As the founder of a prominent financial institution, she regularly employed Black women as workers and board members in her bank, helping to create positive representations of Black people in leadership positions.
Walker continued to innovate as a business and community leader until she died in 1934. Today, her home is a national landmark that honors her legacy of Black economic independence, equality and fellowship.
Related: 17 Career Paths in Banking (Plus Tips for Choosing)
Alfred Hair
Today, creative jobs are growing, but that wasn’t always the case, especially for Black artists. Around 1959, when 17-year-old Alfred Hair began selling his paintings, many local art galleries refused to feature the work of Black artists.
Known for his vibrantly colored landscape paintings, Hair and his fellow artists—dubbed the Florida Highwaymen for their tendency to sell paintings along state freeways—created opportunities for marginalized artists to make and sell original artwork.
Hair continued to influence the local art scene, but when he was killed in 1970, the movement created by the highwaymen faded. Years later, art enthusiasts took an interest in Hair’s work, and in 2004, he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
Hair fostered a sense of community for Black artists who turned limited opportunities into unconventional paths to success, laying the foundation for today’s creative economy.
Related: Guide to Creative Jobs (5 Types With Career Paths for Each)
Clara Brown
Clara Brown had only recently been declared a free woman when she agreed to serve as a cook on a Colorado-bound train. Once she arrived and settled near Denver, Brown worked as a midwife and nanny before establishing the first laundromat in the area. She continued to grow her business, invested wisely and reportedly owned multiple lots, properties and mines throughout Colorado during the Gold Rush.
Brown simultaneously became a pillar of the community, using the money she earned from her business to protect locals, miners and former slaves. She continued her ventures in both entrepreneurship and the community, prudently starting businesses that offered practical services people needed. Toward the end of her life, Brown reunited with her daughter, many years after her family members were each sold to separate owners at a slave auction.
Hailed as a wise entrepreneur, community leader and early Colorado settler, Brown was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 2022.
Related: How To Become an Entrepreneur in 7 Steps (With FAQ)
A. Philip Randolph
After the first labor union was created in 1794, others followed with the goal of improving workplace conditions. However, Black people were often banned from participating in them. Asa Philip Randolph worked diligently to change that.
Randolph was a labor unionist and activist who organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first labor union led by Black people. He was also instrumental in pushing legislation that prohibited hiring discrimination.
Randolph also served as a prominent civil rights advocate, pushing for more Black workers in federal government jobs and organizing a march on Washington to demand a ban on hiring discrimination.
Randolph’s lifelong work has shaped today’s labor unions, driven workplace equality, and shown people of all colors how they could organize locally to drive change nationally.
Related: What Is a Union?
Granville T. Woods
As we navigate the digital era, it seems like a new invention is always cropping up. But in 1884, when Granville T. Woods got his first patent, new inventions were much slower to materialize, especially for Black inventors.
Woods, a talented, self-taught tradesman, worked his way up to an engineer role on a steamboat and then started his own business as an electrical engineer. Enterprising and innovative, Woods would go on to secure more than fifty patents for new inventions, such as the incubator and induction telegraph.
When Woods developed the device needed for the “third rail,” he would forever transform current transit systems and the transportation industry as a whole.
Related: How To Become an Inventor
Ernesta G. Procope
Ernesta G. Procope wasn’t called the “First Lady of Wall Street” for nothing. In the 1940s, the New York native began studying real estate and earned her broker’s license to support her husband’s business.
When he died in 1952, Procope founded the E.G. Bowman Company, which offered insurance to the predominantly Black residents of Bedstuy. Procope also leveraged her real estate knowledge to successfully purchase and renovate hundreds of brownstones throughout New York City.
In 1979, Procope relocated her thriving company to Wall Street, making her the first Black woman to own a business near the stock market mecca. Procope continued to expand the business and became the designated broker for the New York City Housing Authority.
By the end of her life, Procope was an acclaimed real estate and insurance executive, having been inducted into the Minority Business Hall of Fame and earning multiple awards for her industry and community contributions.
Related: How to Work on Wall Street (With Types of Careers)
Moving forward
Creating awareness about the individuals who improved our workforce, built our communities and dared to make a difference despite profound adversity ensures that we honor and continue their efforts for future generations.
However, their impression on our world is much too great to only be discussed during Black History Month. Employers should continue the conversation throughout the year. Here are some ways to get started:
- Offer Volunteer Time Off (VTO) to support Black education and advancement
- Promote internal mentorship programs—especially for Black women, who only make up 1.4% of C-level positions
- Highlight Black pioneers during lunch and learns, corporate service days and retreats
- Start a free internal library that includes Black literature and business resources
- Offer free financial planning and investment courses to employees
Related: Natural Hair in the Workplace: Q&A With Erica Howell
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy. Indeed is not a legal advisor and does not guarantee job interviews or offers.
This content is intended for audiences 16+ unless otherwise indicated.