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This Entrepreneur is the Richest Black Person In America

RICHEST BLACK MAN IN AMERICA WORTH $11.4B

In 2024, David Steward achieved the highest position for a Black individual on the Forbes 400 list, ranking 84th with a net worth of $11.4 billion. As the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), a major IT provider, Steward co-founded the company in 1990 and retains a majority stake. WWT, valued at $20 billion, serves major clients like Citi, Verizon, and the federal government.

Steward, born in the segregated South, overcame early financial struggles. He grew up in a large family with seven siblings, and his father worked multiple jobs, including as a mechanic and janitor. After completing his education at Central Missouri University, Steward held sales roles at Missouri Pacific Railroad, Union Pacific, and FedEx before co-founding WWT. His early entrepreneurial journey was challenging, and he recalls seeing his car repossessed from his office parking lot before achieving success.

His philanthropy includes a $1.3 million donation to establish the David and Thelma Steward Institute for Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Steward is a strong advocate for the American Dream, emphasizing the importance of opportunity and hard work.

He is actively involved with several organizations that promote diversity and inclusion, such as the National Urban League, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. His family also advocates for the legacy of Wendell Scott, the first African American NASCAR driver, whose historic win was officially acknowledged by NASCAR in 2021, with Steward’s support.

Another prominent Black billionaire on the 2024 Forbes 400 list is Robert F. Smith, ranking in 88th place.
Reference from Black Enterprise: https://www.blackenterprise.com/david-steward-richest-black-man-america-forbes-400/amp/

Blurb from Forbes : https://youtu.be/uoXFLZ5cGnQ?si=DWLpjyxt-cG-QaIw

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