Who was the first Black lady millionaire?

The first Black female millionaire in the U.S. was Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove), who built her fortune in the early 20th century with her line of beauty and hair care products for Black women, establishing a vast empire that included factories, salons, and a school, making her a self-made success and a pioneer in African American entrepreneurship.

Who was the first Black woman billionaire in the United States?

The first Black female billionaire in the United States was Sheila Johnson, who achieved this milestone after co-founding Black Entertainment Television (BET) and later building her fortune through luxury hospitality (Salamander Hotels & Resorts) and sports team ownership. She broke barriers in media, business, and sports, becoming a pioneering figure before other prominent Black women, like Oprah Winfrey, reached billionaire status.
 

Who was the first black female millionaire?

In 1908, Madam C.J. Walker relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and opened a factory and hair school called Lelia College. At Lelia College, she taught women to become "hair culturists." Through the vast growth and success of Walker's beauty empire, she became America's first recognized, self-made female millionaire.

Who was the first black millionaire in America?

While Madam C.J. Walker (Sarah Breedlove) is famous as the first self-made Black female millionaire, the first Black millionaire in America was likely William Alexander Leidesdorff, an 1840s import-export tycoon, with Mary Ellen Pleasant also a contender for early wealth before Walker, though many early Black millionaires stayed private due to racism, making definitive claims difficult. 

Who is the richest black girl in history?

Sarah Rector, also known as Sarah Rector Campbell and Sarah Campbell Crawford, (March 3, 1902 – July 22, 1967) was an American oil magnate since childhood.

Meet the First Self-Made Female Millionaire

Who was the first African American woman to be a millionaire?

The first Black female millionaire in the U.S. was Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove), who built her fortune in the early 20th century with her line of beauty and hair care products for Black women, establishing a vast empire that included factories, salons, and a school, making her a self-made success and a pioneer in African American entrepreneurship.
 

Who is the youngest Black female millionaire?

Sarah Rector's story hasn't been widely known until recent years. “Sarah's Oil,” a new biographical drama currently playing in movie theaters, tells the story of how in the early 1900s, Rector became one of the first Black female millionaires at just 11 years old.

Who was the first female billionaire?

The first female billionaire was Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who became wealthy through her inheritance and business ventures by the early 20th century, long before modern self-made billionaires; however, Madam C.J. Walker is recognized as the first American self-made female millionaire, and Martha Stewart the first American self-made female billionaire in 1999. 

Who was the richest black person in history?

The richest Black person ever is widely considered to be Mansa Musa I, the 14th-century ruler of the Mali Empire, whose immense wealth from gold and salt is estimated to have been equivalent to hundreds of billions in today's money, making him possibly the richest person in history. Among modern figures, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote consistently ranks as the wealthiest Black person alive, topping Forbes' lists with a fortune primarily from cement and oil refining, as of recent 2025 reports. 

Who was the first black person on money?

Harriet Tubman to be first African-American on U.S. currency.

Who is the wealthiest Black woman in the US?

You love her. You probably reference her lifestyle advice at least twice a month. That's a big reason Oprah Winfrey is the wealthiest Black woman in America — her iconic brand is a central part of the cultural zeitgeist.

Who was the first black female billionaire and queen of all media?

The legendary "Oprah Winfrey" she was an American host and television producer from 1986 to 2011. Dubbed the "Queen of All Media",she was the richest African-American of the 20th century and was once the world's only black billionaire.

Who was the first black millionaire actor?

Stepin Fetchit was the stage name of American comedian and film actor Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry. Perry parlayed the Fetchit persona into a successful film career, eventually becoming a millionaire, the first black actor in history to do so. He was also the first black actor to receive a screen credit.

How many Black female billionaires are there?

As of early 2025, there are a very small number of Black female billionaires globally, with estimates from sources like Forbes and Businessday NG suggesting around two to three, with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna, and possibly others like Sheila Johnson (though sometimes listed as a former/near-billionaire) frequently mentioned, representing media, cosmetics, and business ventures, highlighting a persistent wealth gap despite growing Black female economic power.
 

What's Jay Z's net worth?

As of late 2025, Jay-Z's net worth is estimated to be around $2.5 to $2.6 billion, making him a billionaire and one of the richest musicians, with his wealth coming from music, business ventures like Roc Nation, and investments, alongside his wife Beyoncé, who is also a billionaire. 

What is Sheila Johnson's net worth?

While a precise, up-to-the-minute figure isn't public, Sheila Johnson's net worth is in the hundreds of millions, stemming from her co-founding of Black Entertainment Network (BET) and her later investments in Salamander Hotels & Resorts, real estate, and horses, following the sale of her BET shares for a significant sum.
 

Who is the richest black family?

The richest Black family in the U.S. is often considered the Steward family, led by David Steward (founder of World Wide Technology) and his wife, with billions in wealth, while globally, Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) leads individuals, with historical figures like the Groves family (early 20th century) and families in St. Louis (like the Pelagys) also notable for established wealth, but current family-focused lists often highlight David Steward as the top U.S. Black billionaire family. 

Who is the richest person ever to live on Earth?

The richest person in history is widely considered to be Mansa Musa I, the 14th-century ruler of the Mali Empire, whose vast wealth from gold and salt was so immense it's often described as incalculable, equivalent to hundreds of billions in today's money, making him wealthier than modern figures like Rockefeller or Musk. His legendary pilgrimage to Mecca showcased this wealth, famously devaluing gold in Cairo for years. 

Who is the richest woman to have ever lived?

The richest woman ever, in contemporary terms, is typically Alice Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune, often holding the top spot in 2024-2025 lists with fortunes exceeding $100 billion, though Françoise Bettencourt Meyers (L'Oréal) has also been #1 and is consistently the second richest. Historically, figures like Cleopatra are estimated to have immense wealth, though modern rankings focus on liquid, inherited, or business-derived fortunes.
 

Who was the first white billionaire?

Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller became the first billionaire in 1916. Nineteen individuals had attained the status of centibillionaires, each with a net worth of at least $100 billion, as of December 2025.

Who was the first self-made woman millionaire?

The first self-made female millionaire in America recognized by Guinness World Records is Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove), an African American entrepreneur who built her fortune developing and marketing hair care and beauty products for Black women in the early 1900s, becoming a symbol of Black entrepreneurship and philanthropy. She established the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, created a network of sales agents, and used her wealth for social causes.
 

Who is the wealthiest Black woman?

The richest Black woman in the world is consistently identified as Oprah Winfrey, a media mogul with a net worth estimated around $3 billion, stemming from her media empire (Harpo Productions, OWN network), shrewd investments (Weight Watchers), and real estate. Other prominent wealthy Black women include pop star and beauty mogul Rihanna, and African businesswoman Folorunsho Alakija.
 

Who is the richest child in the world?

The richest kid in the world, based on projected influence and inheritance, is generally considered to be Princess Charlotte of Wales, with estimates placing her net worth around $3.6 to $5 billion, primarily from future royal assets and fashion impact. Other exceptionally wealthy children include her brother Prince George, celebrity kids like Rihanna's son Rza Athelston Mayers, and successful young entrepreneurs such as YouTuber Ryan Kaji, though these figures reflect projected wealth or business success rather than liquid cash.
 

Who became a millionaire at 15?

David Ghiyam became a self-made millionaire at 15 years old. He took money he won from playing poker, invested it into the stock market, and was making — and losing — hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single day.