Mary Ellen Pleasant was one of the earliest 19th century Black millionaires in the United States. While her initial source of wealth was an inheritance from her first husband, Pleasant’s intelligence, and keen wit gave rise to her success as a gold rush investor and shrewd entrepreneur.
An abolitionist all of her adult life, Pleasant was passionately dedicated to freeing enslaved Black people. One of her greatest accomplishments—reportedly a secret kept for decades—was financing John Brown’s infamous 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry. The historic revolt was intended to spark widespread armed rebellion to end slavery in the United States. I was not until Pleasant was approaching the end of her life that she revealed, “Before I pass away, I wish to clear the identity of the party who furnished John Brown with most of his money to start the fight at Harpers Ferry and who signed the letter found on him when he was arrested.”
That Pleasant reportedly financed a large portion of John Brown’s raid suggests she was a bold and audacious woman committed to leveraging financial resources to better Black lives. To learn more about the savvy Black business woman who broke unthinkable gender barriers and amassed a fortune, click here.