St. John, Lilla
c.1928-unknown · Contribution: 1953
First African American woman to pass the New York Stock Exchange licensing examination
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Became the first Black woman to pass the New York Stock Exchange licensing examination in 1953 at age 25, after preparing for the exam in just two months while raising two children, going on to work as an investment counselor at a major Wall Street firm.
Life & background
Born in 1923, St. John hosted her own music television show on a local Milwaukee station before turning to finance, passing the New York Stock Exchange licensing examination in 1953 at age 25, becoming the first African American woman to do so. She went on to work as an investment counselor at Oppenheimer & Company, a major Wall Street investment firm.
Sources
- Columbia University Press Blog (Five African American Women Pioneers in U.S. Finance); Jet Magazine (May 7, 1953); Benzinga
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