Mary Ellen Pleasant

A 19th-century African American entrepreneur and civil rights pioneer who broke racial and gender barriers to build a business empire and aid escaped slaves.

Mary Ellen Pleasant (1814–1904) is often called the 'Mother of Civil Rights in California' for her fearless activism and entrepreneurial success during an era of systemic racism. Born into slavery, she forged a path as a self-made millionaire by investing in real estate, laundries, and boardinghouses. Her wealth funded abolitionist causes, including the Underground Railroad.

Pleasant famously sued San Francisco streetcar companies for racial segregation in 1866, predating Rosa Parks’ activism by nearly a century. She also financially supported John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry. Her shrewd business acumen and defiance of societal norms made her a controversial but transformative figure. Despite being slandered by the press as 'Mammy Pleasant,' her legacy endures as a symbol of resistance and empowerment.