Post by g***@gmail.comI have heard that Roebuck was a black man for over 50 years. I am not at all surprised that this part of his history has been deleted out.
This weekend my father started to lecture me on the origins of Sears
and Roebucks. His version of how Sears started is one I have been
hearing for about twenty years. And when I asked my dad as well as
the other people who told me this version for some documentation.
everyone falls short. In short I have heard that Sears and Roebuck
were partners and that Roebuck was a black man who some how got
cheated out his partnership and hie name was dropped hence the name
Sears only.
Can anyone provide me with a source for this version. I have never
been able to verify it. I there some text that has a primary source
(e.g. paper of incorporation, etc that validate this I would be
grateful. But it seems to me the cheated black man of Sears and
Roebuck is an Urban legend. Thanks.
From <https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sears-Roebuck-and-Company>:
"In 1889 Sears sold his business but a few years later founded, with
Roebuck, another mail-order operation, which in 1893 came to be known as
Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1895 Julius Rosenwald, a wealthy clothing
manufacturer, bought out Roebuckâs interest, and he reorganized the
mail-order business. "
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From the Family History Channel website
<http://fhcmag.blogspot.com/2013/03/alvah-c-roebuck-black-english-parents.html>
"In 1895, Roebuck asked Sears to buy him out. However, at Richard Sears'
request, he took charge of a division that handled watches, jewelry,
optical goods, and, later, phonographs, magic lanterns and motion
picture machines. His business interests did not end with Sears. He
later organized and financed two companies: a manufacturer and a
distributor of motion picture machines and accessories. Roebuck also
served as president (1909-1924) of Emerson Typewriter Company, where he
invented an improved typewriter, called the "Woodstock."
After several years in semi-retirement in Florida, the financial losses
he suffered in the stock market crash of 1929 forced Roebuck to return
to Chicago. By 1933, Roebuck had rejoined Sears, Roebuck and Co., where
he largely devoted his time to compiling a history of the company he
helped found.
Then, in September of 1934, a Sears store manager asked Mr. Roebuck to
make a public appearance at his store. After an enthusiastic public
turnout, Mr. Roebuck went on tour, appearing at retail stores across the
country for the next several years.
Alvah Roebuck returned to his desk at company headquarters in Chicago,
where he enthusiastically assumed the task of compiling a corporate
history until his death on June 18, 1948."
**
It doesn't sound like he was cheated out of anything and maintained a
good relationship with the company until his death.
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"Was Roebuck was black?
At one of my classes a few weeks ago, while discussing the black
experience in America, the instructor mentioned that "Roebuck (of sears
Roebuck) was black." One student in the class said "That's right;" most
of the responses ranged from thoughtful "Huh!" expressions to disbelief
that they had never known this.
Curious to learn more about this supposedly forgotten historical figure,
I Googled around a bit - none of the online biographies or Sears Co.
histories mention Alvah Roebuck's ethnicity, nor does his picture look
particularly African-American (not that one can always tell):"
<
Loading Image...
>
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The Sear Archives <http://www.searsarchives.com/people/alvahroebuck.htm>
makes the statement: "Alvah Curtis Roebuck, co-founder of Sears, Roebuck
and Co., was born on January 9, 1864, in Lafayette, Ind., of English
parentage."
It is certainly plausible that one of his English parents was black
(England not having quite the negative outlook on miscegenation as
America at that time), but wouldn't it be mentioned somewhere?
Since there is no mention of his ethnicity in the bios, one would
surmise that he is not black, as that would be a rather significant
factoid, especially from the early 1920's.
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