David Ruggles, First African-American Bookstore Owner David Ruggles was the first African American to own a bookstore. Ruggles promoted several publications that supported the end of slavery. This was astonishing when at the time in many places blacks were not allowed to read. In 1835 a white anti-abolitionist mob burned down his stores. Ruggles traveled…
The story of the man behind Homer G. Phillips Hospital is familiar to some, but a mystery to many. Interestingly, Homer Gilliams Phillips was not a physician; he was actually an attorney in the St. Louis region. Born John Wesley Phillips in Sedalia, Missouri, in 1880, he studied law at Howard University and later practiced…
LA County May Return Beach Property Back to Rightful Black Owners Willa and Charles Bruce purchased beachfront property at what is known as Manhattan Beach. The family originally bought the property to use as a beach resort for Blacks in 1912. In 1929 the Manhattan Beach City Council seized the property stating that it was…
The Significance of the Du-Good Chemical Company may be unknown to some. Dr. Lincoln Diuguid founded the Du-Good Chemical Company in 1947. The building housing the company was converted from a veterinarian building built in 1886. They remained at the same location of 1215 South Jefferson until closing in 2010. The actual name Diuguid…
When you sing from a hymnal in church or read a Christian publication you have the R.H. Boyd Publishing Company to thank for that.