Business Community

The entrepreneurial spirit thrived despite oppresive conditions. The documents and artifacts show the ways in which the community supported one another with business relationships. Michael Gladden, an African-American store owner, secured deeds for buildings, town lots, and farms in his safe. Despite difficulty aquiring loans, members of the community found creative ways to obtain small amounts of money to make improvements to their property. Many members of the community paid for life insurance through social organizations or directly to insurance companies. The money from these policies was used to provide for burial. The letter to the Chief of Police reflects the close oversite and scrutiny of business activity.

This business sign thanking customers for their patronage belonged to a business owned by Ella Wall located on Main Street in Apopka, Florida. Wall was an entrepreneur and businesswoman of Apopka who served as the inspiration for a character in Zora Neale Hurston's novel Mules and Men. Wall was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1874 and moved to Apopka as a widow. Throughout her lifetime, Wall purchased four parcels of land. She operated an orange grove and constructed small wooden buildings that she rented out to migrant workers. Wall was a friend of Gladden until her death in 1938.

 

 

This envelope contained a letter to the police regarding activity by a citizen in the community and may be evidense of how closely the police monitored African-American businesses:

128 Rhode Island Ave. NH.

Washington D.C. 
March 16, 1928

Chief of Police
Apopka, Fla.
Dear Sir -
Some time ago, when my husband died (rather last September) after sending messages I could not get an answer until I wrote you.

Six months have passed. I have written you even since then and I did not here until this week when I got this letter which I have enclosed in here.

Will you please say to Mrs. Ella Wall (which is my husbands sister) that I am not at Florence (my home) at this time I've been here since November my girls school will close in June after which I'll be at home in Florence S.C.

Now if I have to go there before that time to get the Papers that they refer to will cost me $32.20 because I'll have to come back up here as I am here wht the girl until she is out of school I don't know what they will do about it. I have papers etc. put up and no one is to go in there. Everything has been put away carefully

Please ask her what she wants me to do about it. She was sick. Is she better now?

Thanking you in advance for this favor.

Respectfully,
Daisy P. White