Staking a Claim: Jake Simmons, Jr. and the Making of An African-American Oil Dynasty

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Set against the backdrop of nearly a century of racial and economic oppression, the narrative follows Jake Simmons, Jr., an influential African-American tycoon in the oil industry. His lineage, starting with his great-grandfather Cow Tom, who became the first black chief of a Native American tribe, instilled a legacy of independence. Simmons's entrepreneurial spirit flourished as he brokered oil leases for marginalized black landowners and expanded into Africa. A political activist, he championed civil rights, notably bringing a key desegregation case to the Supreme Court, reflecting his commitment to human dignity.