True Reformers

William Washington Browne (1849–1897) was a significant African American leader, businessman, and founder of the Grand United Order of True Reformers, which aimed to promote financial independence and self-sufficiency within the African American community. Born in Chatham, Virginia, Browne was raised in an era marked by racial discrimination and economic hardship for African Americans, yet he emerged as one of the leading figures in the effort to create institutions that could empower Black families economically.

Started as an auxiliary of the segregated Grand Lodge of Good Templars, the Grand United Order of True Reformers was a fraternal society designed to provide insurance, savings, and burial benefits to African Americans. The group also aimed to encourage economic independence, educational opportunities, social uplift, and the financial literacy of its members. Its broader goals were to strengthen the economic position of African Americans by providing access to financial services, which were largely unavailable to Black people in the segregated South. Browne sought to address the financial challenges faced by African Americans, who were often excluded from mainstream banks and financial systems. His first response was to establish the Mutual Benefit and Relief Plan of the United Order of True Reformers. He then established the Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain United Order of True Reformers in 1888.

Browne’s vision for True Reformers was not just financial; it was also deeply rooted in the idea of mutual aid and collective progress. The society's activities were grounded in principles of cooperation, self-reliance, and racial pride. Browne believed that economic empowerment and access to resources would lead to social and political equality for African Americans, who were denied basic services and opportunities because of their race. So this organization created them, through social programs, such as the Rosebud Club for children, vocational training, and through the many business efforts of the organization. For example, by 1900, the list of property and businesses associated with the organization included their headquarters and bank, fourteen halls, seven dwellings, three farms, a stable, a store, a hotel, a retirement home, restaurants, and a newspaper throughout the nation.

Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain United Order of True Reformers and True Reformers Hall

In 1888, Browne established the Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain United Order of True Reformers in Richmond, Virginia, the first bank in the United States owned and operated by African Americans. This bank was designed to provide African Americans with a safe place to save and invest money, offering services such as savings accounts, loans, and financial advice. The establishment of the bank was a landmark achievement, as it created an institution that could provide the financial services essential to improving the economic standing of the Black community in the region. It also served as a symbol of the capacity of African Americans to organize and build institutions that could thrive in an oppressive environment.

The True Reformers Bank quickly became a key institution for African Americans in Richmond, providing financial services that were previously unavailable to them. It helped African American families build savings and gain access to credit, which was critical for economic mobility. At its peak, the bank had a large membership, and its influence extended beyond Richmond, contributing to the creation of other Black-owned banks in the South.

The bank first operated in Browne's home before the building of the True Reformers Hall.

Hotel Reformer

Another significant business venture of the True Reformers was the Reformer Hotel, situated at the corner of 6th and Baker Streets. Originally known as the Boarding House, the establishment featured 50 rooms and served as both a boarding house and a training facility for the organization's Deputies. Notably, the hotel was managed by women on two separate occasions: Mrs. M. E. Holmes, a lecturer for the children's division known as the Rosebuds, and Mrs. F. H. James, a past Grand Worthy Mistress. T. W. Taylor, who worked there as a clerk would later become the Director and Superintendent of the organization's Old Folks Home.

True Reformer's Store

In 1900, for $5,000, the organization purchased and operated a store located at the corner of Sixth and Clay Streets. Reflecting its mission, the organization's 25th-anniversary history states: "They say that the white man shuts us out; colored men, have your own business, attend to your own business, and no man can shut you out. Roll up your sleeves, go to work and make business for yourselves. Take your pick, powder and fuse and go into the mountains and find the gold. If colored men have stores, what do you want with the white man's store?"

The Reformer

The Reformer was the newspaper published by the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers. Launched in 1893 as a bimonthly publication, it became a weekly by 1900 with a circulation of 8,000. The paper served as a platform to promote the organization's values of self-reliance, economic empowerment, and community building. It shared news, inspirational content, and updates on the True Reformers' activities, reflecting their mission to uplift African Americans during a period marked by racial discrimination and limited economic opportunities.

Explore the Reformer Archive

Over the years, the True Reformers grew significantly, with hundreds of chapters and thousands of members across the United States. The organization was especially popular in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and other Southern states, where the need for social services and mutual aid was particularly acute. It became an essential part of the African American community’s response to the economic and social challenges posed by Jim Crow laws and racial discrimination.

The True Reformer’s success was also rooted in its inclusive, membership-driven approach. It welcomed both men and women, with the understanding that the economic uplift of African American families required the active participation of both genders. Women played a significant role in the organization’s growth, managing local chapters and contributing to its community-oriented work. In fact, the state's first Black female physician, Dr. Sarah G. Jones, was hired by the organization as a part of their insurance efforts. Actions like these made the True Reformers one of the most inclusive and progressive African American organizations of its time.

Some Prominent Members include

Read Full Bio

Josiah C. Robertson, Esq– 506 N 2nd St

Josiah C. Robertson, born in 1866 in Virginia, rose from humble beginnings to become a highly respected lawyer and community leader. Despite limited formal education, he attended the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute and later Shaw University, where he excelled academically. Robertson became an accomplished lawyer, opening a successful practice in Danville and receiving widespread praise for his legal skills and integrity.

Robertson also played a significant role in the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers. In 1898, he was appointed Chief of the Real Estate Department and General Attorney, where his leadership and dedication to the organization earned him lasting recognition. His contributions, including an influential speech and years of service, reinforced his commitment to both the True Reformers and the advancement of the African American community.

Reuben T. Hill

Reuben Thomas Hill, born into slavery in 1852, overcame numerous obstacles to achieve remarkable success. He self-educated, worked various jobs, and graduated with top honors from the Richmond Institute in 1880. Hill became a pioneering entrepreneur, establishing a successful stationery business and later co-founding the first Black-owned bank in the U.S., serving as its first cashier. His financial expertise and leadership extended to roles in religious, educational, and community organizations, including Virginia Union University, the Virginia Baptist Sunday School Convention, and the Colored YMCA of Richmond where he served as president. Hill's legacy is one of resilience and transformative impact.

Full Bio

Negro Building at the Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition

Giles B. Jackson

Giles Beecher Jackson, born in 1853 in Goochland County, Virginia, was the son of an enslaved parents. His early life saw him serve as a body servant to a Confederate officer, Colonel Charles G. Dickerson, during the Civil War. After the war, Jackson found work with the Stewart family at the Brook Hill estate in Richmond, where he learned to read and write. He married Sarah Ellen Wallace in 1874 and eventually studied law under Richmond attorney William H. Beveridge, becoming the first African American certified to practice law before the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in 1887. Jackson’s legal career was notable, but his influence expanded well beyond law into the realms of business and activism.

Jackson’s career was marked by his significant contributions to African American advancement in law, business, and civic life. A trained lawyer, Jackson made history in 1887 when he became the first African American to be certified to practice before the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Beyond the courtroom, Jackson played a key role in the development of African American financial institutions. In 1888, he helped establish the Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers, a vital organization that supported the financial empowerment of African Americans. By the early 1900s, the bank had grown to 100,000 members and handled substantial business.

Jackson’s career expanded into activism and organizational leadership, particularly in efforts to elevate African American achievement on a national stage. In 1900, Booker T. Washington selected him as his aide-de-camp when Washington founded the Negro Business League in Boston. His visibility as a leader was further enhanced when President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him an honorary colonel in 1901. He was also entrusted to command an African American cavalry unit during Roosevelt’s second inaugural parade in 1905.

Jackson’s most ambitious project was his work on the Jamestown Exposition in 1907, which commemorated the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Although the event’s organizers had not planned to feature African American contributions, Jackson saw an opportunity to highlight the achievements of black Virginians. He successfully lobbied for the creation of the Negro Building, an exhibition dedicated to showcasing African American culture, business, and artistic accomplishments. The building proved to be a major success, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and winning numerous awards. Despite its popularity, efforts to establish a permanent museum in Richmond to house the Negro Building’s contents were unsuccessful due to financial challenges. Jackson continued to advocate for African American visibility, publishing The Industrial History of the Negro Race in the United States in 1908, which detailed the history and achievements of African Americans in business and the arts.

In his later years, Jackson’s work turned to labor rights. During World War I, he was appointed chief of the Negro Division of the U.S. Employment Service, helping to manage labor issues for African Americans during the war effort. He continued his advocacy into the 1920s, lobbying Congress for the establishment of a commission to address the working conditions of African Americans, though his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Jackson’s career left a lasting imprint on both African American society and the broader American landscape, marking him as a key figure in the early 20th-century fight for racial equality and economic empowerment.

He lived at 818 N 4th Street in Richmond's Jackson Ward. He was a neighbor to the first location of the Richmond Community Hospital; Doctors Miles B. & Sarah G. Jones; the first African American Firehouse; Navy Hill School; and the Reformer Hotel. The location of his home and all other locations is no longer accessible due to the construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike.

Other members include Rev. John Jasper, Dr. A. W. G. Farrar, W. P. Burrell, A. V. Norrell, Dr. M. B. Jones, Dr. Sarah G. Jones, Rev. W. F. Graham, Benjamin A. Graves, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Robert Terrell, Mary Church Terrell, and B. A. Cephas.

Despite the early successes of both the True Reformers Society and the True Reformers Bank, Browne faced significant challenges. As with many African American financial ventures during the period, the bank and the society were often hindered by economic instability, competition from larger institutions, and the pervasive racism of the era. These challenges, combined with Browne’s own personal struggles, including illness and financial difficulties, led to the eventual decline of the bank after his death in 1897.

The business network established by the True Reformers collapsed in 1910 after financial misconduct and unsecured loans led to significant losses. That year, it was revealed that the cashier of the Reformers Savings Bank had embezzled over $50,000 from member deposits. Concurrently, defaults on large unsecured loans left the organization unable to honor insurance claims. On October 20, 1910, the Virginia State Corporation Commission shut down the bank, destabilizing the True Reformers’ interconnected ventures. Although diminished, the organization continued as a fraternal society until its dissolution in 1934.

Sources

Burrell, William B., and D. E. Johnson. Twenty-Five Years History of the Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers, 1881–1905. Richmond, VA: Grand Fountain, United Order of True Reformers, 1909. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://archive.org/details/twentyfiveyearsh00burr/mode/2up.

Hill's Richmond City Directory. Richmond, VA: Hill Directory Company, 1895–1907.

Lee, Lauranett L., "Giles B. Jackson (1853-1924)." In Encyclopedia Virginia. Accessed January 13, 2025. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/jackson-giles-b-1853-1924.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond, Independent Cities, Virginia. Sanborn Map Company, -1925 Vol. 2, 1925, 1925. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn09064_007/.

Watkinson, James D., “Browne, William Washington.” In Dictionary of Virginia Biography, Vol. 2, edited by Sara B. Bearss, 324–326. Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2006.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse