Jesse Hill Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jesse Hill Jr. (b. 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri) is a prominent civil rights leader, business executive, and actuary.
Hill was the CEO of the Atlanta Life Insurance Company. He was also confidant of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.. He is a black pioneer/activist that pushed several civil rights initiatives.
Jesse Hill Jr. held many positions including the 1st Black President of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the 1st Black Member of the Georgia Board of Regents, 1st Black Member of the Board of Director's for Rich's Department Store.
His involvement with voting included chairing the All-Citizens Registration Committee and helped to desegregate the Atlanta Public School system. He also one one of the leading figures to desegregate the University System of Georgia.
Jesse Hill Jr, the businessman created the black newspaper The Atlanta Inquirer that covered the racials tensions, sit-ins, and protests. The newspaper was created because other Atlanta papers would not cover the stories.
Governor Jimmy Carter, selected Jesse Hill to chair the State Board of Regents in 1973. After President Carter was elected, he chose Jesse Hill, Jr. to chair the Minority Business Resource Center, a group created by Congress.
In 1977, Hill became the first black man to preside over the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
While President, The Atlanta Life Insurance Company, became the largest black-owned life insurance company in the nation.
