April 26, 2024

Black Entrepreneur History

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First African American Tow Trucking Business Owner In Delaware Passes Away

Dover, Delaware lost a huge gift to the community when they lost the 1st Black-owned tow trucking business owner in the state when he founded Harris Towing Group. His name was Luke J. Harris, Jr, and he passed away in the month of September 2021.

The business owner had 18 tow trucks in his tow trucking business, according to WBOC, and was even the biggest towing companies in the county known as Kent County during a particular time.

Not only a father, he was a trailblazer for every African American in the state being the first Black man to launch this particular business. Not only did he launch his own business but he was the venture capital for his wife’s beauty school and business.

So what can we learn from Luke J. Harris, Jr.’s life in business?

  • He was disciplined and determined to do what he said he would do.
  • He networked and built business relationships such as the ones he built with the police department in that area as well as the post office.
  • He was willing to give other entrepreneurs advice, even if they were in his same line of work, meaning that he believed that there was enough for everyone to succeed, therefore, he wasn’t afraid to help others.

May he rest in peace.