- Great American Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century
Robert S. Abbott
Chicago Defender
1905 - 1940
Publishing & Print Media
b. 1868
| Education |  |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Hampton University (formerly Hampton Institute) |
| Graduate | LLB, Kent College |
| Personal | |
|---|---|
| Born-Died | 1868 - 1940 |
| Birthplace | Georgia (GA) |
| Race | Black or African American |
| Father | Laborer, Un-/Semi-skilled |
Abbott, the son of slave parents, created the Chicago Defender in 1905 with a total capitalization of twenty-five cents. By 1921, the Defender became a national newspaper, with 70 employees and a plant valued at nearly a half million dollars. Abbott became one of Chicago’s first black millionaires.