When Sarah Rector, a Black girl of Muscogee Creek descent, was granted 160 acres of barren land in Indian Territory, no one expected it to make her one of the richest Black children in America.
But in 1913, an oil well on her property began producing 2,500 barrels a day, earning her over $300 daily—equivalent to more than $7,000 today.
At just 11 years old, Rector’s sudden wealth drew national attention. Newspapers sensationalized her story, with racist headlines referring to her as a “pickaninny” who had become a millionaire.
She also became a target for opportunists, receiving marriage proposals and financial requests despite being a child. Like many wealthy Black landowners, she faced the threat of exploitation and violence, mirroring the deadly schemes against the oil-rich Osage people.
Under Oklahoma law, wealthy Native Americans and Freedmen were assigned white guardians. Rector’s parents appointed T.J. Porter, a family associate, though suspicions of financial mismanagement prompted an NAACP investigation.
Civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois was among those who questioned whether Rector’s wealth was being protected. However, the probe found no wrongdoing.
Rector’s fortune ultimately led to a rare legal reclassification—she was declared “white” by the state, a status granted to protect her assets and social standing.
As an adult, she lived in luxury, hosting celebrities like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. She died in 1967 at the age of 65.
