At barely 30 years old, Arthur George Gaston founded the Booker T. Washington Insurance Company in 1923 with just $500. The business grew, and with the profits, Gaston built a diverse business empire valued at more than $30 million. Gaston’s businesses ranged from funeral homes, Citizens Federal Savings and Loan, and Birmingham’s only first-class accommodation that accepted Black customers.
Beyond business, Gaston found himself positioned as an intermediary between white moderates and civil rights leaders in Birmingham, Alabama. In the face of growing racial violence that saw militant segregationists bomb his motel and home, Gaston joined Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy to urge a federal response to the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, in which four African American girls were killed. These conversations were critical steps leading to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Click here to learn more about this inspiring Black leader who worked to strengthen his community until his passing at the age of 103.
Relevant Resources
As a part of its mission to build strong and diverse communities, Q2 is proud to support a number of Black-led organizations, including:
Code2College
The mission of Code2College is to dramatically increase the number of minority and low-income high school students who enter and excel in STEM undergraduate majors and careers.
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Black Girls Code
Black Girls Code builds pathways for young women of color to embrace the current tech marketplace as builders and creators by introducing them to skills in computer programming and technology.
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