Gaston, Arthur George "A.G."
1892-1996 · Contribution: 1923-1992
Built a $30-40 million Birmingham, Alabama business empire spanning insurance, banking, funeral homes, and real estate, then used it to quietly bankroll the civil rights movement — including bailing Martin Luther King Jr. out of jail during the 1963 Birmingham campaign
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- Business & Misc.
Impact on the world
Gaston proved that Black economic independence and the civil-rights struggle were inseparable, using a self-made fortune to fund the movement even as he favored negotiation, drawing criticism from more militant activists.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Alabama
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