Freeman Briley Ransom (1880–1947) was an American lawyer, businessman and civic activist in Indianapolis, Indiana. From 1910 until his death he served as legal counsel to

Madam C. J. Walker Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made millionaire in America in the '' G ...

and the

Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company The Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company (Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Co., The Walker Company) was a cosmetics manufacturer incorporated in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1910 by Madam C. J. Walker. It was best known for its African-American ...

Robert Brokenburr Robert Lee Brokenburr (November 16, 1886 – March 24, 1974) was an attorney, civil rights leader, and state legislator in Indiana. After several election campaigns, Brokenburr ran as a Republican for an Indiana Senate seat in 1940 and became the ...

was his law partner.

Early life and education

He was born on his family's farm in

Grenada, Mississippi Grenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 13,092 at the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County, Mississippi, Grenada County. History ...

as one of eleven children. After graduating from Grenada's black high school, Ransom graduated from

Walden University Walden University is a private online for-profit university headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It offers Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Health, E ...

in Nashville, Tennessee in 1908 with degrees in divinity and law and as valedictorian of both classes. He completed post graduate work in the School of Law at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company

Soon after his move to Indianapolis, Ransom became not only Madame Walker's attorney but also the general manager for the

. Under his leadership, the company became a national model for entrepreneurship in the United States and abroad in the African-American business community and far beyond.

Other Indianapolis clients and service

As the Walker Company grew in scale, so did Ransom's stature in the city. He became the attorney for a number of Indianapolis businesses and civic organizations. He also held a number of civic and elected positions including: *Indianapolis City Councilman *President of Flanner House *State School for the Blind Trustee *Democratic National Convention Alternate Delegate * Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Trustee *Legal consultant to the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. ...

Madame Walker Theatre

On land purchased for $58,000 in 1924, Ransom worked alongside

A'Lelia Walker A'Lelia Walker (born Lelia McWilliams; June 6, 1885 – August 17, 1931) was an American businesswoman and patron of the arts. She was the only surviving child of Madam C. J. Walker, popularly credited as being the first self-made female milli ...

, C.J. Walker's daughter, to construct a building in honor of Madame Walker. The Walker Theatre was built to "serve as the social and cultural center of Indianapolis." The theatre opened its doors on Monday, December 26, 1927.

Indianapolis legacy

He is buried in West Ridge Park Cemetery in Indianapolis. Ransom and his family lived much of their life in Indianapolis near

Indiana Avenue Indiana Avenue is a historic area in downtown and is one of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana Avenue was, during its glory days, an African American cultural center of the area. The Indiana Avenue Historic Dis ...

in what is now called the Ransom Place Historic District. The district was named for him and his family in 1992, and became the first

African-American neighborhood African-American neighborhoods or black neighborhoods are types of ethnic enclaves found in many cities in the United States. Generally, an African American neighborhood is one where the majority of the people who live there are African American. ...

in the state of Indiana to receive such distinction. The neighborhood, which was home to many important African American business leaders, remains the most intact 19th century neighborhood associated with African Americans in Indianapolis. On the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, there is an apartment complex which bears the family name.

In popular culture

Ransom was prominently featured in the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

's 2020 mini-series '' Self Made'', telling the story of Madam Walker, in which he was portrayed by Kevin Carroll.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ransom, Freeman 1880 births 1947 deaths African-American activists African-American businesspeople African-American lawyers 20th-century American lawyers Burials in Indiana Columbia Law School alumni Executives of Indiana based companies Indiana lawyers People from Grenada, Mississippi Businesspeople from Indianapolis Walden University (Tennessee) alumni 20th-century American businesspeople