Nickerson, William Jr.
1879–1945 · Contribution: 1925
Founded the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company after California's existing insurers refused to cover most Black residents

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Quick facts
- Category
- Business & Misc.
Impact on the world
Nickerson taught himself the law to build an insurer that would cover the Black West when no one else would, creating a financial institution that anchored Black economic life in Los Angeles.
Sources
- UCLA Library / Online Archive of California
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