Let's Celebrate Freedom
Who was Richard R. Wright, Sr.?
Major Richard Robert Wright, Sr. was an American military officer, educator, college president. politician, civil rights advocate and banking entrepreneur. He owned several newspapers, founded a high school, college, bank and National Freedom Day.
According to Wikipedia, Wright served as the president of the Georgia State Industrial College for Youth - a historically black college in Savannah, Georgia - from 1891-1921. By the end of his occupancy as president, the college's enrollment had increased from the original eight students to more than 400. By August 1898, president William McKinley, appointed Wright as Major and paymaster in the United States Army, making him the first African American to serve as a United States Army paymaster. He was the highest ranking African American officer during the Spanish American War.
In 1921, at the age of 67, Wright moved to Philadelphia, opened a bank and enrolled at Wharton School of Business. He created and lead Philadelphia's Citizen and Southern Bank and Trust Company - the only African American owned bank in the North at the time. Thankfully the bank withstood the Great Depression, having assets of $5.5 million when it was sold in 1957.
Before he passed away, on July 2nd, 1947, Wright invited national and local leader to meet in Philadelphia, where they planned to set aside February 1st to memorialize the signing of the 13th amendment.
One year after he passed away, both houses of the United States Congress passed a bill to make February 1st - National Freedom Day.
Source(s)
"Richard R. Wright." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 February 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_R_Wright
"Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution." Wikimedia Foundation, 1 June 2021, https://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
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