Can you imagine gaining wealth at 11 years old? It’s hard to fathom what your younger self might have done if you received a million dollars before the age of 18. While the idea of receiving riches at a young age may seem like a fairy tale, it is how Sarah Rector became one of the wealthiest women in United States history.
Who was Sarah Rector?
Black history is like a ball of yarn, constantly unraveling new stories and actively shaping the present and future. As Black people continue to seek liberation and equality, more stories of heroic and important Black people start to be uncovered.
One such story is of Sarah Rector. Her story tells of Black triumph instead of the Black struggle and survival. It is a story of fortune and wealth and is unique for its time.
Born in Taff, Oklahoma, on March 3rd, 1902, Rector, at the age of 11 or 12, had acquired more money than she could have imagined. However, before she became wealthy, she lived in impoverished conditions with her two parents, sister and brother. Yet she became a millionaire before she was an adult.
So how does a Black girl living in poverty obtain so much money? If you’re familiar with the expression when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, you know how an unfortunate circumstance can lead to a life-changing opportunity.
How did Sarah Rector Obtain Her Wealth?
For Rector, her lemons were the plot of land she was gifted, and her lemonade was oil.
Rector was born on Muscogee Creek Indian allotment land. Because of the Dawes Allotment Act, the Creek lands were divided among the people formerly enslaved people by Native Americans. As a result, every person in Rector’s family received land. Yet, it would take years after receiving the land to discover its actual value.
Rector’s family struggled for years about what to do with the land they were allotted. The land given to Black people was often unmanageable. Rector’s plot was filled with rocks and poor soil where nothing would grow. The desolate land was costly to maintain. Rector’s father had to pay yearly taxes of $30, which is the equivalent of about $1,000 today.
In 1913, everything changed. After Rector’s father leased the land to an oil company, an oil driller hit what was known as a “gusher.” This oil pool produced an abundant amount of oil, approximately 2,500 barrels a day. When this happened, Rector started to receive about $300 per day, and in October of that year, she received over $11,000.
Even though she hit the jackpot with oil, Rector still had to become financially literate and savvy to maintain and grow her wealth. She spent years investing and buying stocks and bonds. She also owned a bakery and cafe as well as 2,000 acres of land near the river.
She would eventually move her and her family to Kansas City, Missouri, where they would live in a large home that was often referred to as the “Sarah Rector Mansion.”
Why is Sarah Rector so Unrecognized?
When asked to name a millionaire, most would say Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey. Historically, they may think of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. Disappointingly, very few people would acknowledge Sarah Rector.
The reason Rector’s story has been buried in history may have something to do with how the news of her wealth was treated when she first obtained it. Although she received worldwide recognition, not every story published was truthful. Instead of publishing genuine rags-to-riches stories, many media outlets at the time threw dirt on Rector’s name. Rumors flooded newspapers saying that Rector’s wealth was being mismanaged. Statements filled with slander were printed that her parents kept her living in poor conditions.
The rumors became so bad that they caught the attention of several Black intellectuals, such as W.E.B Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. When rumors spread that Rector’s well-being might be in danger, Du Bois wrote to the family’s local judge to learn more about her situation and was assured that Rector was cared for. Her money was overseen by a white male guardian, which was a common practice at the time. Rector continued to receive a quality education by attending different schools. When she became an adult, she was able to have complete control over her wealth.
With harsh rumors being spread, it was clear that society wanted to paint a false picture of Black wealth. Rector’s story was tainted, perhaps to make others believe that if Black people were to obtain wealth, they wouldn’t be smart with it. The rumors portrayed this idea that Black people don’t know how to manage money and would waste it all away.
When stories of Black wealth are twisted and retold with false claims, it can change the narrative to seem that it’s Black people’s poor spending habits that are keeping them from being wealthy instead of systematic racism.
Fortunately, Rector’s stories and other stories of Black wealth are rising to the surface. In 2018, Kathleen Watkins, an Oklahoma City playwright, wrote the play Brown Skinned Rich Girl, which showcases Rector’s story.
When Black history is accurately told, it can empower Black people in the present day to make positive changes for the future.
*The feature photo image has been argued historians that it may not be Sarah Rector, but it widely used when reporting her story.*
