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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Business & Misc.

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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.

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    UCLA Library / Online Archive of California

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