G. Lawrence Blankinship Sr. (1913–2005[1]) was an African-American businessman and civic leader from Kansas City.[2] He served as the chairman of the Kansas City Black Economic Union for more than 14 years.
G. Lawrence Blankinship Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 8, 1913 |
| Died | December 28, 2005 (aged 92) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Pharmacist, business owner |
| Years active | 1944–2005 |
| Known for | Blankinship Distributors |
Life
editBlankinship was born on September 8, 1913, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Mattie G. Blankinship and Lee Blankinship and was the youngest of three children and the only son.[1] He moved to Kansas City in his teens and graduated from Lincoln High School.[1] He later attended Kansas City College of Pharmacy and was told by an instructor that several white students in his class objected to his presence because he was black.[2][3]
He married Opal C. Blankinship in 1953 and they had two children, Adrian and G. Lawrence Blankinship Jr.[4]
Blankinship died on December 28, 2005, at age 92.[1]
Career
editIn April 1944, he founded Blankinship & Meyers Jobbers together with Fred Meyers, a fellow manager within the Crown Drug Store chain.[1] The company was a wholesale supplier of African American beauty products.[1]
In 1947, Meyers decided to leave the newly formed company for personal health reasons, and the company became Blankinship Distributors Inc.[1][2] Blankinship went on to supply hundreds of sales outlets, primarily drugstores, with hair care and cosmetic products developed for the burgeoning African American markets.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "G. Lawrence Blankinship, Sr.: 'He Was a Great Mentor and Tutor'". The Kansas City Star. January 1, 2006. p. A-1. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Black History Stories". KCLINC.org. Greater KC LINC. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ Hockaday, Laura Rollins (June 3, 1984). "Quiet power". The Kansas City Star. p. 143.
- ^ Hockaday, Laura R. (January 7, 1996). "Midwesterner's Club is still a place to bond". The Kansas City Star. p. 23.
- ^ Mansur, Michael (January 2, 2006). "G. Lawrence Blankinship Sr. Dies at 92". The Kansas City Star. p. A-1.
Further reading
edit- "Lawrence Blankinship (two newspaper biographical articles about)". The Call. December 9–16, 1966. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- G. Lawrence Blankinship, Sr. & Horace M. Peterson III (June 21, 1976). An Interview with G. Lawrence Blankinship (cassette tape, compact disc). Retrieved January 11, 2021.