Black Titan: A.G. Gaston and the Making of a Black American Millionaire

Birmingham, Alabama is my hometown (I now live in Georgia), so the name A.G. Gaston is nothing new to me. What I didn't know was how much of a force he was in the Magic City. I am even more ashame to admit that I was not aware that he died in 1996 (I was in college at the time). One of my sisters attended A.G. Gaston Junior High School. I seen church fans and calendars with the Smith & Gaston logos on them. I seen buildings with his name on them and never put two and two together until now. When I was younger, we would always hear about Dr. Martin Luther King, but never about A.G. Gaston. I find that odd now. I am happy I decided to get this book to add to my collection. I have always look for business role models and never would have thought to look in my own hometown. It is because of this book, I am able to put a personality behind the names of many buildings in Birmingham. I also found it interesting following Gaston's journey from Demopolis to Birmingham although I am confused about the present day locations of some of the towns/neighborhoods mentioned in the book. Based on the locations giving in the book, Enon Ridge sounds almost like present day Ensley and Westfield sounds like present day Wenonauh given that this is the area located at the foot of a small mountain seemed to had mines at some point. However the case, this book has introduced me to an era of Birmingham before the sixties that I was aware of.

The story of A.G. Gaston is simply incredible. I purchased the book because I love to read stories about people who have overcome impossible odds to become successful business people. But I am also a 20th century history buff and therefore, this book was an exceptional treat. About halfway through, I was fantasizing about a Ken Burns documentary called, The Life And Times Of A.G. Gaston. One quick sidebar; Check out the story of Madame C.J. Walker, a Black woman born shortly after the Civil war, to former slaves. She became a multi-millionaire and died at age 52 at about the same time Mr. Gaston was returning from WWI. She was the first self made Black female millionaire and her story is also amazing. A.G. Gaston was clearly from the Booker T. Washington school of economics. He survived and thrived in an area that was arguably ground zero of the insanely racist south, and arguably ground zero of the civil rights movement. I refer to the area roughly bounded by Montgomery and Birmingham Alabama, and Meridian Mississippi. It would have been easier for a Black man to become a multi-millionaire in almost any other area of the country. I would highly recommend this book as required reading in American high schools.

This story really made me appreciate and admire what this man went through to become who he was. It told much more than how to get rich and stay rich. It spoke of his beginnings, his many obstacles in his path, and the ability to persevere in a time when it seemed impossible, especially in Birmingham, Alabama. It really put many things in perspective for me, and I hope other people get the honor of reading this timeless piece. I am a business major, so this was something I know I needed. The unfortunate (but not surprising one bit) thing is before this book, I had never heard of A.G. Gaston. In college, you hear about the Rockefellers, the Carnegie's, and others. I stumbled across this book when I was browsing around at the bookstore. Had it not been for that, I may have never known anything about this brillant man and the contributions he made in the Black community. I gained much more than I ever expected initially.

I am definitely going to suggest to my Black Studies teachers that they incorporate this book into their classrooms. A.G. Gaston is the entreprenuers hero! This is a story of an individual who could not and would not stay in the position society told him he was to adhere to. His self determination and self reliance into forging a life and business for himself is enough to make anyone feel ashamed of themselves for suggesting that they cannot become an entreprenuer. I recommend that you purchase this book!

To say that a black man in one of the most segregated states in the Union,would rise up and become a millionaire during a time when that was not the norm,is in and of itself a miracle. The story of A.G.Gaston is little known outside of Birmingham and Alabama, but every African American should get a copy of this book and read for yourself how this man rose up and became a millionaire during Jim Crow times. Written by his neices,it is tastefully written,and a wonderful addition to anyone's library.