J.B. Stradford
1861–1935
Born into slavery, he built one of the largest Black-owned hotels in America.
📖Biography
John the Baptist Stradford was born into slavery in Versailles, Kentucky, in 1861. He earned a law degree from Indiana's Central Law School and became a successful businessman in Tulsa's Greenwood district. His Stradford Hotel, opened in 1918 with fifty-four rooms, was considered one of the largest Black-owned hotels in the United States. After the 1921 massacre he was falsely indicted for inciting the riot and fled to Chicago, where he rebuilt his life as a lawyer; the charges were later dropped.
Key Achievements
Born into slavery and earned a law degree
Opened the 54-room Stradford Hotel in 1918
Became one of Greenwood's wealthiest residents
Falsely indicted after the massacre; charges dropped
Life Timeline
Born into slavery in Versailles, Kentucky
Opened the Stradford Hotel in Greenwood
Hotel destroyed; falsely indicted and fled to Chicago
Passed away in Chicago
Legacy & Impact
Stradford's rise from slavery to prosperity embodied Greenwood's promise, and his persecution after the massacre exposed the injustice its residents faced.