Wormley, James
1819-1884 · Contribution: 1850s-1880s
Built one of Washington D.C.'s most prominent hotel businesses of the era
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Built substantial generational wealth as a hotelier in segregation-era Washington, D.C., growing his estate from roughly $4,000 in 1860 to $76,000 by 1870.
Life & background
A hotelier in Washington, D.C., Wormley built one of the city's most prominent hospitality businesses during the latter half of the 19th century, accumulating significant wealth and standing as one of the era's most successful Black entrepreneurs in the nation's capital.
Sources
- U.S. patent record; White House Historical Association
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