Hidden Gems in Black History: The Richest Man That Ever Lived!

& When you search for the wealthiest people in the world, few – if any – of them will be Black. However, It’s interesting to know that at one point the richest person in the world was a Black king known as Mansa Musa. Here’s what you should know about this fascinating man.  Who Was King Mansa Musa? According to “Is Mansa Musa the richest man who ever lived?” by Naima Mohamud of BBC Africa, Mansa Musa was born in 1280 into a family of rulers in Mali. When his brother Mansa Abu Bakr II disappeared on an expedition at sea in 1312, he took over the throne. At that point, the Mali kingdom was one of the wealthiest countries in Africa and was comprised of what is now known as Mali, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso.  Though the kingdom was already prosperous, it grew exponentially in wealth under Mansa Musa’s rule. During his time from 1312 to 1337, the king expanded the kingdom so that he owned a large quantity of salt and gold. In fact, it’s estimated that he held about half of the world’s gold. He also garnered wealth from ivory...