“Looking at the sky, like Thank God that you’re with me.” – H.E.R., We Made It song lyric
We are currently reading, “The Wealth Choice: Success Secrets of Black Millionaires” by Dennis Kimbro, in book club. He highlights past millionaires such as Madam C.J. Walker and O. W. Gurley along with current millionaires such as Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey (they are actually both billionaires now). This made me want to look up a lesser known billionaire and shine the spotlight on him for this post.
I specifically chose a current black billionaires because I believe it is more of an encouragement than black millionaires from back when slavery was just ending. To be a millionaire in the 1800s was unheard of. Our spoiled, pampered butts can’t even imagine, much less relate to the dedication and hard work it would have taken to be successful in that era. It is encouraging to know that black people succeeded in a time that was specifically set up for them to fail. Unfortunately, it is not as relatable.
My black fact centers around David Steward. Once again, someone I have not heard of. Mr. Steward is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT). He is the second highest earning black billionaire in America. Mr. Steward borrowed $2000 from his father to start his first business auditing and reviewing freight bills and overcharges for the rail industry in 1984. He was familiar with the rail industry from his time working in sales and marketing at Missouri Pacific Railroad.
Mr. Steward started his tech company, WWT, in 1990 with his own savings, struggling in the beginning as is common for a good amount of businesses. He began to partner with the federal government supplying computer hardware and software and he has grown WWT to a company that makes over $12 billion dollars in sales.
Mr. Steward is also the author of 2 books, “Doing Business by the Good Book” and ” Leadership by the Good Book”. Here are a couple sites to read more about David Steward.
I’m going to be honest, I still can’t relate 😆. Not because I do not think it is possible for me, but because I don’t think I want to be a billionaire. Now, if it happens, I won’t be upset. More money, more people I can help. I definitely want to be a millionaire. I want the freedom money brings and the ability to feed into people while I am here and when I am gone. Come on millionaire idea, 🎲, this girl needs a house on the water 😆. Seriously, I hope you have been enjoying my black facts so far. Be well and whole. Much Love 🧡 💚
Last week I attended a 4-Day Book Writing Challenge presented by Hay House, hosted by Reid Tracy and Kelly Notaras. This was my third time attending this challenge. I feel like I learn something new every time I attend. The challenge gives you daily assignments and prompts to get you on the path to writing a book or push you to complete a book that you may be working on. I am not really ready to write the kind of book I want to write, but it doesn’t hurt to have some pointers before I start. I actually do have a book that is about 75% to 80% completed. The book is for my nephew and it should have been done. Unfortunately, I have stalled out 🤦🏾♀️. I would like to finish this book before I start on another one.
The challenge provided guidance on how to write a hook, genre categories for the books that people normally write and other pertinent information. Honestly I need to go back and figure out what genre this book falls under. Or maybe not. I know that the hosts said if it is non-fiction to include examples and stories to get your point across. Now, here I was thinking that I will make a copy specifically for my nephew and then go back and edit out all the stories I included. Yet, based on the information I received from the challenge, not only do I need to leave the stories in, I may need to add more stories. Now the book is probably only about 60% completed. There is a strong chance that most of the participants and I are just overthinking this whole book writing thing. Actually, I know we are.
An 8 year old boy by the name of Dillon Helbig, wrote and illustrated an 81 page book over the course of a few days. He then proceeded to take said book to his local library and put it on the shelf in the children’s book section. The book was in a hard covered journal and he labeled it with the title, “The Adventures of Dillion Helbig’s Crismis.” Dillon told his parents about his accomplishment. The parents worried the librarians would find it and dispose of his book, contacted the library. Well, the librarians decided not only will they not throw away his book, but they would put a sticker on it and allow people to check it out. Dillon’s one-of-a-kind story now has a wait list of 56 people. And if I lived in Idaho, I would be the 57th person. I am so intrigued as to what he wrote in his book.
Dillon, after the success of his first novel, is now busy at work on his second novel, “The Jacket Eating Closet.” Ummm…is this not a lesson or what? Here I am in the fifth year of writing my blog with less than 100 people reading it regularly because I don’t want to put myself out there. I have actually just started to tell more people about my blog within the last year and a half. This young man has written a book and has 56 people at the time of the news report, I am sure there is more now, waiting on a hold list to read his book. It really isn’t that hard now is it?
Many of us have lost our childlike enthusiasm, creativity and confidence. We have experienced some shit that has shut us down. We do not see the world through the eyes of an 8 year old and that is totally understandable. Life gets complicated as we get older. Our childhood dreams are forgotten. Or believed to be unachievable, are dismissed. But, what if we picked one thing we wanted to accomplish and approached it like a child? What if we didn’t allow any self-doubt to cloud our minds? What if we just did the thing? What if we kept it a secret like Dillion until it was completed? What if? Oh, the places we will go.
I am sure if I was to draw any pictures, they will look like an 8 year old did it 😆. But I have to say, Dillion is inspiring me to not care about the minor details. I want to be like Dillion when I grow up. I want to pursue my dreams in life with childlike abandon. I want my book on library shelves, whether I have to sneak it in there or it is there legitimately. The Hay House 4-Day Book Writing Challenge was informational and inspiring. But I have to say, Dillion Helbig has inspired me a great deal more. I set my goal for the completion of my book for the end of February. If Dillion can write and illustrate a book in 4 days, why can’t I finish a 60% completed book by the end of the month? No reason why.
Looking for inspiration, look to a child. They are everything we want to be as adults. Find your motivation in their imagination. See the possibilities through their eyes. The world is their oyster and it is yours as well. This year I am going to be pushing you and calling you out in these posts because I want you to finally do the thing, whatever it is. I want you to stop making excuses, procrastinating and being overwhelmed with self-doubt. I want for you what you want for you. And I am also talking to myself with each and every post. I am not out here crushing it. I am not checking goals off my list every week. I, too am suffering from indecision, lack of clarity and lack of confidence. After reading that article, I have a new mantra for when I know I am not doing my best. Be Like Dillion! And also be well and whole. Much Love
Here is a link to read one of the many articles written about Dillion Helbig.
I recently visited my cousin who lives in Winter Park, Florida. She drove me around and showed me the area, lakes, houses, parks and historical sites. We rode through the town of Eatonville, Florida. Eatonville, incorporated in 1887, is considered to be one of the first black American towns. Being as I had never heard of it before visiting my cousin, I was definitely interested in this town’s story. I was able to get a couple snapshots, but nothing substantial. My cousin, however, attended a historic walking tour in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Zora Neale Hurston in Eatonville, where she was able to get some good pictures, which I will be sharing in this post.
In my research of looking up little known black facts, I discovered that there is a few different towns claiming to be the “first” black incorporated town. I appreciate how Eatonville’s website says it is one of instead of the first. There is a town called Allensworth located in California that was labeled as the first Black town in an article I read. I can only assume the person who wrote the article did not do their research. Allensworth, founded in 1908, was the first Black California town. I, of course, felt the need to dig deeper and put in the search, “What was the first black town?” Eatonville was the first town to pop up. Cute, but we all know to not use the first thing that pops up in Google. As I scrolled down, Brooklyn, Illinois came up next. Brooklyn is labeled as the “first” as well and they may actually be able to claim that title. Brooklyn, Illinois was started in the 1820s and incorporated in 1873, fifteen years before Eatonville and thirty-five years before Allensworth.
Here is a link for continued reading on Allensworth, California,
Now, I still didn’t want to overlook any other towns, so I continued to scroll. Yep, another one popped up. Now, to give this town some credit, they did not say they were the first incorporated town, just the first town. This is starting to become a mess. Mose, located in Florida, was stated as the first legally sanctioned black town established in 1738 for runaway slaves. Now, if we are skipping the incorporated part, I believe that Mose, Florida is the winner as the first black town. Here is a link to read more about Mose,
Back to Eatonville. Eatonville was a town founded by newly freed slaves from Georgia, Alabama and some other northern states in 1880. The cornerstones of early Eatonville were church, school and family. St. Lawrence African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first Black church in the area.
Photo Courtesy of Kehana Wills
St. Lawrence A.M.E. Church
Eatonville was the birthplace of novelist Zora Neale Hurston.
Photo Courtesy of Kehana Wills
Local Barbershop and Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Art
Here is the link to the town’s website. You can read about the town’s history and current events on this site,
http://www.townofeatonville.org/about/
Photo Courtesy of Kehana Wills
Mural in Eatonville, FloridaPhoto Courtesy of Kehana WillsPhoto Courtesy of Kehana Wills
One of the stops on the Eatonville Walking Tour.
At this point, I don’t know who the clear “first” was and I am sure if I keep looking, I will find more. What I do know is, Black people were fighters. They were resilient in the face of adversity and had a strong desire to make the best of a horrible (and this is an understatement) situation. You can find Black History in every state of this country, if you look. Stories that don’t just involve slavery. Black history is so much more than that and always has been. During this Black History Month, let’s learn a little history and do some of our own research. Stay well and whole. Much Love 🧡💚
