Warren Clay Coleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Warren Clay Coleman
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| Born | May 25, 1849 |
| Died | May 24, 1904 (aged 54) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | founder, Coleman Manufacturing Company |
Warren Clay Coleman (May 25, 1849 – May 24, 1904) was an important African-American businessman. He lived in south-central North Carolina. He is famous for starting the Coleman Manufacturing Company. This company built one of the first textile mills in the United States owned and run by African Americans. The old mill building, called the Coleman-Franklin-Cannon Mill, is still standing in Concord, North Carolina. It was added to a list of important historical places in 2015.
Warren was born into slavery. He learned useful skills like shoemaking and barbering. After slavery ended, he became a free man. His white father, an attorney, helped him. Warren was very ambitious and used his connections well. He became a very successful business owner in and around Concord, North Carolina. He owned a large general store and other shops. He bought land and rented out many homes. He also owned farms and other businesses, besides the mill. By 1900, Warren Coleman was the richest African-American man in North Carolina.
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Early Life and Skills
Warren Coleman was born in 1849. He was born into slavery in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. His mother, Roxanna Coleman, was of mixed race. She was enslaved by Daniel Coleman, Sr. and his wife Mary. Warren's mother used their last name. His white father was Rufus Clay Barringer. Barringer was a young lawyer whose family lived near the Colemans. He later became a politician and a general in the American Civil War. Warren and his older brother, Thomas Clay, were both sons of Barringer.
Warren's mother married John F. Young. He was a skilled blacksmith who was also enslaved nearby. Daniel Coleman bought John Young so the family could live together. Warren Coleman likely learned shoemaking and barbering on the Coleman plantation. These were valuable skills back then. He later used these skills to make boots and shoes for the Confederate Army.
Building a Business Empire
After the Civil War, Warren Coleman became free. He worked for two years with William M. Coleman. This man was a lawyer and helped Warren. In 1867, Warren became fully independent. He then moved to Alabama to look for new chances.
He came back to Cabarrus County the next year. He started his first business, collecting old rags, bones, and junk to sell. In 1873, he went to Washington, D.C. He studied business at Howard University. William Coleman helped him pay for his studies.
When he returned to Concord, his father, Rufus Barringer, likely helped him. Barringer had a law office in Concord. Warren also bought land from the Barringer family. Over the next 25 years, Warren Clay Coleman became one of the wealthiest African-American merchants in the state.
His first land purchase was a 130-acre farm. His businesses grew to include a store on Main Street in Concord, North Carolina. In 1873, he married Jane E. Jones. He also started a grocery store. It sold items like teas, coffee, sugar, and candies. In 1879, he combined his two stores. His general store became one of the biggest shops in Concord.
Over the years, he built more than 100 affordable rental homes. These homes were in the African-American part of town. He also started a company to manage these rentals. These homes helped many people moving to Concord from the countryside. Warren's connections with his father and other important white leaders helped him make these first investments.
The Coleman Manufacturing Company
In the 1890s, Warren Coleman worked with other African-American business leaders. He also worked with educator Booker T. Washington. Important white leaders, like Washington Duke, also helped. Their goal was to build the first textile factory in the nation owned and run by African Americans. At that time, white-owned mills usually did not hire black textile workers. Coleman and his partners wanted to create job opportunities for the black community. The company officially started in 1895 or 1896.
The Coleman Manufacturing Company was very successful. It hired over 300 African-American workers. The factory was a large, three-story brick building. It was worth $100,000. However, the mill faced financial problems. Cotton prices went up, and other issues arose. After Warren Coleman died in 1904, the mill closed. It was then sold to other owners.
Even though the mill was no longer black-owned, it opened doors for others. Judge Clarence Horton noted that a hosiery factory opened in 1913. It hired black seamstresses and other workers. This was different from many white-owned mills in the South.
By 1900, Warren Coleman was the richest African-American person in his county and state. Some historians believe he was the richest African American in the entire country at that time. He owned property on several streets in Concord.
He also started a church called Price Temple. This church was close to where his workers lived. He also gave money to other black churches. These included Rock Hill and Zion Hill AME Zion churches.
To help African Americans get an education, Coleman paid for students' tuition. He supported students at Howard University, Livingstone College, and Shaw University. These are all historically black colleges. He also helped support an African-American orphanage in Oxford, North Carolina.
Lasting Legacy
Today, the old mill building is owned by Bill Bryant. He used to run a large printing business there. Now, he rents out parts of the mill to smaller businesses. These include auto repair shops, a pool company, and a distillery.
- In 2001, a part of Highway 601 South was named "Warren C. Coleman Boulevard." This was done to honor him.
- In 2015, the Coleman-Franklin-Cannon Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
- In 2018, Price Memorial AME Zion Church held its first W.C. Coleman Day Street Festival. This event honors the businessman and helps support the church.
