Bessie Coleman With all That Flying Time Surely She Became Rich!

 “He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.”

— Deuteronomy 28:44 (KJV)

Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license, lived modestly and often precariously despite her fame.

Why she didn’t become wealthy

• Limited opportunities: In the 1920s, racism and sexism shut her out of commercial aviation, airlines, and military flying jobs.

• Income source: She earned money mainly through barnstorming air shows, parachute jumps, and lectures — exciting but seasonal and inconsistent work.

• Self-funded mission: Coleman spent much of her earnings on:

  • Maintaining and repairing aircraft

  • Travel expenses

  • Promoting aviation in Black communities

  • Her dream of opening a flight school for African Americans

    
    
    

• No inheritance or safety net: She came from extreme poverty and had no generational wealth backing her.

At the time of her death

• She did not own significant property

• She had no large savings

• She was actively planning future projects rather than accumulating wealth

Bessie Coleman died tragically in 1926 at age 34, cutting short what might have become a more financially stable later career.

Her real legacy

While she never achieved financial wealth, she left something far more enduring:

• Inspired generations of Black aviators

• Became a global symbol of courage and defiance

• Forced America to confront who was allowed to fly

                              

George Washington Carver 1864-1943 ( Was he wealthy) ?

 “He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.”

—Deuteronomy 28:44

George Washington Carver did not become wealthy, at least not in the financial sense.

Although his work generated enormous economic value, Carver chose purpose over personal profit.

Why George Washington Carver Wasn’t Rich

• Refused to patent most of his inventions
  Carver developed hundreds of uses for peanuts, sweet potatoes, and other crops, but he believed his discoveries were gifts meant to help poor farmers—especially in the rural South. He famously said:

  “God gave them to me. How can I sell them to someone else?”

• 
  
  Lived modestly his entire life
  As a professor and researcher at Tuskegee Institute, Carver earned a small academic salary. He lived simply, often wearing old clothes and focusing on teaching and research rather than material success.

• Turned down lucrative offers
  He was offered high-paying jobs by major companies (including Thomas Edison’s associates), but he declined to remain at Tuskegee and continue serving Black farmers.

What He Did Leave Behind

• Immense social and agricultural impact
  His crop-rotation methods helped revive Southern soil devastated by cotton farming.

• Long-term economic wealth for others
  His ideas helped diversify Southern agriculture and improve livelihoods for countless farmers.

• A moral legacy
  Near the end of his life, he donated his life savings—about $60,000 (a substantial sum at the time)—to establish the George Washington Carver Research Foundation.

The Bottom Line

George Washington Carver was rich in influence, respect, and legacy—but intentionally not rich in money. His wealth was measured in lives improved, not dollars earned.

"The Father" had to love his attitude towards riches!

                                           BJ 

Lewis H. Latimer 1828-1928 (Did he become wealthy) ?

“He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.”
—Deuteronomy 28:44

 Lewis Howard Latimer was not wealthy, despite his remarkable inventions and patents. He lived a largely modest, working-class life, especially when compared to the immense fortunes made by some of the men he worked alongside.

Here is a clear picture:

Did Lewis H. Latimer Become Wealthy?

Latimer earned steady professional income and respect, but he never accumulated great wealth.

Why Not?

• He did not own the companies that profited most from his inventions

• His work was usually done as an employee or consultant, not as a principal investor

• Racial barriers in the late 19th century limited business ownership and licensing opportunities for Black inventors

What He Invented (and Why It Still Matters)

Latimer held or contributed to multiple patents,

including:

• Improved carbon filament for electric light bulbs (1881)

  • This made light bulbs longer-lasting and affordable

  • Critical to the success of electric lighting worldwide

• Patent drawings for Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone

• Improvements in lighting systems and manufacturing methods

He was so valuable that Thomas Edison personally recruited him, and Latimer became the only Black member of Edison’s elite engineering team, known as The Edison Pioneers.

His Financial Reality

• Latimer earned professional wages, not royalty streams

• He supported a family and lived respectably but without luxury

• He supplemented income through writing, teaching, and consulting

He never enjoyed the kind of financial security or legacy wealth that Edison or Bell did—even though their success depended in part on his work.

His True Legacy

Latimer’s wealth was intellectual and historical, not financial:

• A pioneering Black inventor in a racially restrictive era

• A bridge between invention and mass production

• A figure whose contributions were essential but under-credited for decades

In Short

Lewis H. Latimer changed the world—but did not profit from it.
He lived with dignity, purpose, and professional respect, but his life was modest, not affluent.

"The Father" still rose him!

                                   B Israel