Anthony Overton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Overton
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| Born | March 21, 1865 |
| Died | July 2, 1946 (aged 81) |
Anthony Overton Jr. (born March 21, 1865 – died July 2, 1946) was an important American businessman. He was a banker and made many products. He was the first African American to lead a very large group of businesses.
Overton owned the Overton Hygienic Company. This company made popular home products and makeup. He also started magazines like Half Century Magazine and the Chicago Bee. He owned other companies too, like the Great Northern Realty Company and the Victory Life Insurance Company.
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Early Life and Education
Anthony Overton was born in Monroe, Louisiana. His parents were Anthony and Martha Overton. After the Civil War, his family moved to Topeka, Kansas. His father had been born into slavery. He was freed by Abraham Lincoln.
Anthony's father became a small business owner. He made sure Anthony had good chances in life. Anthony went to Washburn College in Topeka. He earned a degree in Chemistry. Then he studied law and became a lawyer in 1888. He even worked as a judge in Shawnee, Kansas for a short time.
Building a Business Empire
In 1898, Overton started the Hygienic Manufacturing Company. This company made products for drug stores and grocery stores. One of their most famous products was High Brown Face Powder. This was the first successful makeup product made for black women. In 1911, he moved his business from Kansas to Chicago.
Expanding His Businesses
Overton kept building his business empire.
- In 1916, he started Half-Century Magazine.
- In 1923, he opened the Douglass National Bank. This was only the second nationally recognized bank owned by African Americans in the United States.
- He also started the Great Northern Realty Company. This company dealt with property.
- He founded the Victory Life Insurance Company. This company helped people get life insurance.
- In 1925, he started the Chicago Bee newspaper. This newspaper supported ideas that helped people. It was special because a woman, Olive M. Diggs, was one of its main editors.
Awards and Recognition
Anthony Overton received important awards for his achievements.
- In 1927, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) gave him the Spingarn Medal. This award honors outstanding achievements by an African American.
- That same year, he also won the first Harmon award and a Gold medal for his work in business.
- He was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
- There is even an elementary school in Chicago named after him, the Anthony Overton Elementary School.
After Overton passed away in 1946, his sons tried to keep the Chicago Bee newspaper going. However, it stopped publishing in 1947.
See also
