Mary Ellen Pleasant

Mary Ellen Pleasant
Mary Ellen Pleasant
Born	August 19, c. 1814; Georgia, Virginia, or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	January 11, 1904; San Francisco, California
Known for	Entrepreneur and abolitionist

Mary Ellen Pleasant (August 19, 1814^[a] – January 11, 1904^[b]) was an American entrepreneur, financier, real estate magnate and abolitionist. She was arguably the first self-made millionaire of African-American heritage, preceding Madam C. J. Walker by decades.^[9]

She identified herself as "a capitalist by profession" in the 1890 United States census.^[10] Her aim was to earn as much money as she was able to help as many people as she could. With her riches she was able to provide transportation, housing, and food for survival. She trained people how to stay safe, succeed, carry themselves, and more. The "one woman social agency" served African Americans before and during the Civil War, as well as meeting a different set of needs after Emancipation.

She worked on the Underground Railroad and expanded it westward during the California Gold Rush era. She was a friend and financial supporter of John Brown and was well known among abolitionists. She helped women who lived in California during the California Gold Rush to stay safe and become self-sufficient. After the Civil War, she won several civil rights victories that resulted in her being called "The Mother of Human Rights in California". Legal battles, though, had mixed results.^[11]

Realizing that she was in a tenuous position as a black woman who had gained political and financial power, she sought ways to blend in to the culture of the times. She portrayed herself as a housekeeper and a cook, long after she was wealthy, but she used these roles to get to know wealthy citizens and gain information for her investments. In the 1870s, she made the acquaintance of Thomas Bell, a wealthy banker and capitalist, which helped her make money and keep her riches and true financial status a secret. She spent her money, and developed the plans, to build a large mansion that outwardly was to seem as if it was the Bells' residence. She assumed the role of housekeeper for the Bells, but it was not a secret in the city that she actually ran the household, managed the servants, and also managed the relationships among the Bells.

Author Edward White said of her: "As an entrepreneur, civil-rights activist, and benefactor, Mary Ellen Pleasant made a name and a fortune for herself in Gold Rush–era San Francisco, shattering racial taboos."^[3]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Cite error: The named reference LOC auth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Ebony pp. 71-72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference Paris Review was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Napa part 1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Crowe, Steve (February 1999). Mary Ellen Pleasant: Unsung Hero. The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc. p. 35.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference SF obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference BlackPast was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Mary Ellen Pleasant, died June 11, 1904 at 2751 Filbert Street", California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1830-1980. California Department of Public Health.
^ Huddleston, Tom Jr (February 15, 2020). "Mary Ellen Pleasant, one of the first black self-made millionaires, used an ingenious trick to build her fortune". CNBC. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
^ Matney, William C., ed. (1981). Who's Who Among Black Americans. Northbrook, Ill.: Who's Who Among Black Americans, Inc. p. 479.
^ Davis, Marianna W., ed. (1982). Contributions of Black Women to America. Vol. 1. Columbia, South Carolina: Kenday Press, Inc. p. 371. ISBN 9993222674.

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

[LOC_auth-1] Cite error: The named reference LOC auth was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Ebony_pp._71-72-2] Cite error: The named reference Ebony pp. 71-72 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Paris_Review-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Cite error: The named reference Paris Review was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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[Crowe-5] Crowe, Steve (February 1999). Mary Ellen Pleasant: Unsung Hero. The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc. p. 35.

[SF_obit-6] Cite error: The named reference SF obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[BlackPast-8] Cite error: The named reference BlackPast was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[9] "Mary Ellen Pleasant, died June 11, 1904 at 2751 Filbert Street", California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1830-1980. California Department of Public Health.

[11] Huddleston, Tom Jr (February 15, 2020). "Mary Ellen Pleasant, one of the first black self-made millionaires, used an ingenious trick to build her fortune". CNBC. Retrieved September 4, 2021.

[12] Matney, William C., ed. (1981). Who's Who Among Black Americans. Northbrook, Ill.: Who's Who Among Black Americans, Inc. p. 479.

[:0-13] Davis, Marianna W., ed. (1982). Contributions of Black Women to America. Vol. 1. Columbia, South Carolina: Kenday Press, Inc. p. 371. ISBN 9993222674.

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Mary Ellen Pleasant

Born	August 19, c. 1814^[a] Georgia, Virginia, or Philadelphia, Pennsylvania^[a]
Died	(1904-01-11)January 11, 1904^[b] San Francisco, California
Known for	Entrepreneur and abolitionist