Inspired by William Leidesdorff

William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. (October 23, 1810 – May 18, 1848) was one of the earliest mixed-race U.S. citizens in California and a highly successful, enterprising businessman. Leidesdorff was of mixed parentage but is largely identified as being of African descent. Raised in the Dutch West Indies, Leidesdorff was initially involved in the shipping trade. He was responsible for introducing the first steamboat in the Bay Area of California. In addition he opened and operated San Francisco’s first hotel. He also went on to become the city’s school board president. After acquiring large plots of land, his worth at the time of his passing was nearly a million and a half dollars. He is known to be America’s first millionaire of African descent.