Jesse Hill facts for kids

Jesse Hill Jr. (born May 30, 1926 – died December 17, 2012) was an important African American leader. He worked for civil rights and was a successful businessman. For over 50 years, he was active in the community and business world in Atlanta.

Jesse Hill Jr. led the Atlanta Life Insurance Company from 1973 to 1992. Under his leadership, it became the biggest black-owned life insurance company in the United States. He was also the first African American to be chosen as president of a major city's chamber of commerce. He even served on the board for the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta.

Early Life and Education

Jesse Hill Jr. was born in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri. He grew up in a family that didn't have much money. He went to public schools in St. Louis.

After high school, he studied at Lincoln University of Missouri. He earned a degree in math and physics in 1947. Later, he got his master's degree in business from the University of Michigan in 1949.

A Career in Business

Jesse Hill Jr. started his business career in 1949. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia. At that time, Atlanta was a major center for African American businesses.

He joined the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. This was one of the largest and most successful black-owned companies in the country. He started as an assistant actuary. An actuary is someone who uses math to figure out risks, especially for insurance. He was only the second African American actuary in the U.S.

When he first moved to Atlanta, Hill lived at the Butler Street YMCA. This YMCA was a meeting place for black leaders in the city. He also volunteered for groups like the Urban League and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Leading Atlanta Life

Over his first 20 years at Atlanta Life, Hill became a vice president. He also became the chief actuary. From 1973 to 1992, Jesse Hill Jr. was the president and CEO of Atlanta Life. He was the company's third president. He was the first leader who was not related to the company's founder, Alonzo Herndon.

During Hill's time as CEO, Atlanta Life grew a lot. The company's money, income, and value all reached new highs. In the 1970s, Atlanta Life was the largest privately owned black business in the country.

Hill and Atlanta Life also helped African Americans get home loans. They worked to make sure black families could afford homes in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Florida.

Jesse Hill Jr. retired from Atlanta Life in 1995.

Working for Civil Rights

Jesse Hill Jr. used his important position to help the civil rights movement. This movement worked to gain equal rights for African Americans.

In 1960, he helped start a black newspaper called the Atlanta Inquirer. He started it with Herman J. Russell. This was the second black newspaper in Atlanta.

Challenging Segregation

During the 1950s and 1960s, Hill worked hard for civil rights in Georgia and Alabama. In 1960, he joined other young black leaders. They wrote a report called "A Second Look: The Negro Citizen in Atlanta." This report showed that Atlanta was not as fair as some white people thought. Many called Atlanta "the City Too Busy to Hate." But the report showed that black citizens still faced many problems.

As part of the NAACP, Hill helped black students challenge segregation. Segregation meant keeping black and white people separate. He met with students like Hamilton E. Holmes and Charlayne Hunter-Gault. They planned to challenge segregation at Georgia's colleges. They focused their efforts on the University of Georgia (UGA). Holmes and Hunter became the first two African American students admitted to UGA.

Hill also organized successful voter registration drives in Atlanta. These efforts helped about 50,000 new African American voters register.

Supporting the Movement

Hill's company, Atlanta Life, also helped black communities. In the 1950s and 1960s, Hill raised money from employees. He donated these funds to Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights efforts. He also encouraged employees to volunteer their time. Atlanta Life's office in Montgomery even hired Rosa Parks as a secretary. This was during the Montgomery bus boycott, which she helped start.

Helping Muhammad Ali

In 1970, Muhammad Ali was not allowed to box. This was because he refused to join the Army. Jesse Hill Jr. helped organize Ali's comeback fight in Atlanta. He used his political connections to make it happen. This fight helped Ali's career restart. It also showed the power of black politics in Georgia.

Political Influence

Jesse Hill Jr. also helped many black politicians. He ran political campaigns for Maynard Jackson. Jackson became Atlanta's first black mayor. He also helped Andrew Young, who became a congressman and later a United Nations ambassador.

In 1973, Governor Jimmy Carter chose Hill to lead the State Board of Regents. This board oversees Georgia's public colleges. When Carter became President, he chose Hill to lead the Minority Business Resource Center.

Jesse Hill was also the first black president of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He was also the first black member of the Board of Directors for Rich's Department Store.

Community Contributions

Jesse Hill helped desegregate the Atlanta Public Schools. He also served on the boards of many large U.S. companies. These included Delta Air Lines and SunTrust. He was also a founding director of MARTA. MARTA is Atlanta's public transportation system.

He also led the board of directors for the Martin Luther King Jr. Center in Atlanta. He was even involved in developing wireless communication in Nigeria.

In 2001, a street in Atlanta was renamed Jesse Hill Junior Drive in his honor. This was to recognize his many contributions to the city.

Personal Life

Jesse Hill Jr. was married to Azira Hill. They had two children and several grandchildren.

He was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.