3.9 Maggie Lena Walker, Bank President

Maggie Lena Walker was the first African-American woman to run a bank (and almost the first American woman of any color to run a bank). She led it successfully through a world war, a pandemic, and the Great Depression, and after her death it went on to survive as a continuously black-owned bank for almost a century. See the website for sources and more details. Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures. Support the show on my Patreon page for bonus episodes, polls, and a general feeling of self-satisfaction. Join Into History for a community of ad-free history podcasts plus bonus content. Follow me on Twitter as @her_half. Or on Facebook or Instagram as Her Half of History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices