The Story of Sarah Rector, the Richest Young Black Girl in America in the Early 20th Century

Sarah Rector (1902–1967) was an African American girl who became one of the nation’s youngest and first Black millionaires at age 11, after oil was discovered on land she inherited in Oklahoma. Her story is a remarkable example of resilience against systemic racial and legal barriers in the early 20th century.

Born near the all-Black town of Taft, Oklahoma, Sarah was the descendant of Creek Freedmen, Black people formerly enslaved by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Under the Dawes Allotment Act, Sarah and her family members were each granted 160 acres of land. Because of her race, Sarah was assigned a plot in Glenpool deemed “worthless” and unsuitable for farming, while fertile land was reserved for white settlers.

Her family struggled to pay the $30 annual property tax on this “barren” land. Her father even petitioned the court to sell the land, but the request was denied because Sarah was a minor. To cover taxes, her father leased the land to the Standard Oil Company in 1911. In 1913, a “gusher” well was struck, producing 2,500 barrels of oil daily.

By age 12, Sarah was earning roughly $300 a day (over $10,000 today). National newspapers dubbed her the “Richest Black Girl in America” or the “Richest Colored Girl in the World.”

Due to Jim Crow-era laws, the state required Sarah to have a white guardian, T.J. Porter, to manage her fortune. This led to widespread rumors of mismanagement and poverty, prompting interventions from civil rights leaders Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. 

With help from the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), Sarah eventually attended the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. By 18, she was a confirmed millionaire with diverse investments in stocks, bonds, and real estate.

She moved her family to Kansas City, Missouri, purchasing a grand home now known as the Rector Mansion. She lived a luxurious life, entertaining celebrities like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Although the Great Depression impacted her wealth, she remained solvent and lived comfortably until her death in 1967.

Her story was recently adapted into the biographical film Sarah’s Oil (2025).

Vintage Photos of Gina Lollobrigida During the Filming of “Anna of Brooklyn” (1958)

Anna of Brooklyn (released in 1958 as Anna di Brooklyn) is a delightful romantic comedy that showcases the vibrant intersection of Italian-American culture and traditional rural life. The film stars the legendary Gina Lollobrigida as Anna, a wealthy and glamorous young widow who decides to leave New York to find a husband in her ancestral Italian village.

Her arrival, marked by her sophisticated “Brooklyn” style and independent spirit, throws the local community into a charming state of chaos. Co-starring Dale Robertson and the renowned Vittorio De Sica (who also co-directed), the movie is a visual treat of Mid-Century aesthetics, capturing the sun-drenched landscapes of Italy and the bold, elegant fashion of the late 1950s.

It remains a nostalgic piece of cinema that celebrates the themes of roots, romance, and the timeless allure of the “La Dolce Vita” era. Enjoy this curated collection of vintage portraits that capture the elegance, wit, and beauty of Gina on the set of Anna of Brooklyn.

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Candid Photographs of Johnny Cash and June Carter During a Photoshoot for Their “Carryin’ On” Album Cover, 1967

Carryin’ On with Johnny Cash & June Carter is an album by Johnny Cash and June Carter released in 1967, on Columbia Records. The album consists exclusively of duets by Cash and Carter, including “Jackson;” “Long-Legged Guitar Pickin’ Man” was also released as a single. One track, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” dated back to 1964 and had previously been released on Cash’s 1965 album, Orange Blossom Special.

The photoshoot for the album took place in July 1967. The sessions featured the couple in a rustic, outdoor setting, often described as being “out standing in their field” or at Cash’s ranch in Hendersonville, Tennessee. The cover photography was handled by Bob Cato, an iconic photographer and graphic designer for Columbia Records.

At the time of the shoot, the two were a powerhouse touring duo. Cash was in the process of finalizing his divorce from his first wife, Vivian, and this album served as a public “coming out” for his and June’s relationship.

Cash and Carter married seven months after the album was released (with Carter subsequently changing her professional name to June Carter Cash), and the couple performed “Jackson” at numerous venues throughout the years. The album was re-issued on March 19, 2002, through Legacy Recordings, with two additional tracks.

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Mad Carpentier: The Architects of Post-War Couture

Mad Carpentier was a prestigious French haute couture house that epitomized the sculptural elegance of post-war Parisian fashion. Formed in 1940 through the partnership of Mad Maltezos and Suzy Carpentier, the house became renowned for its sophisticated architectural cutting and masterful draping.

While many of their contemporaries focused on restrictive corsetry, Mad Carpentier gained a loyal following for designs that celebrated a fluid yet structured femininity, often featuring intricate pleating and bold, sweeping silhouettes. Their work was frequently highlighted in the pages of Vogue and L’Officiel, representing the pinnacle of French craftsmanship during the 1940s and ’50s.

The partnership ended in late 1957, when Mad Maltezos left to join Patou. Below are some fashion designs from Mad Carpentier in the 1940s and ’50s.

Model in rose satin dress with a garland of shoulder drapery which falls into a hood by Mad Carpentier, photo by Lee Miller, Paris, December 1, 1944

Model in rabbit fur coat spotted like ocelot with an elegant sleeve, broad at the top, tapered at the wrist by Mad Carpentier, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper's Bazaar, November 1946

Barbara Goalen wearing en elegant afternoon dress in black wool with small cape effect and a wide patent leather belt that holds the lapels in place by Mad Carpentier, photo by Clifford Coffin, Vogue, Paris, October 1948

Model wearing a draped evening dress called "Vampire" by Mad Carpentier, Vogue, Paris, October 1948

Model wearing a black wool coat featuring pointed collar and cuffs by Mad Carpentier, photo by Robert Randall, Vogue, Paris, October 1949

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A Stone Drawing of a Woman Thousands of Years Old Found in France

This image is a 25,000-year-old Paleolithic engraving of a woman found deep within the Cussac Cave (Grotte de Cussac) in the Dordogne region of southwestern France. Often referred to by archaeologists as a “Venus” figure, the engraving is part of a significant collection of prehistoric art and human remains discovered in September 2000 by amateur cave explorer Marc Delluc.

The cave is located in the Dordogne River valley and spans approximately 1.6 kilometers (roughly one mile). There are over 150 Paleolithic artworks in the cave, primarily engravings of animals such as woolly mammoths, bison, rhinoceroses, and horses, alongside several stylized feminine forms.

The engravings date to the Gravettian era, a period of the Upper Paleolithic known for its distinct stone tool industry and the creation of “Venus figurines.” Cussac is rare because it contains both prehistoric art and human remains (at least six individuals) dating to the same period, suggesting it served as both a gallery and a sacred burial site. 

The engraving depicts a woman with a voluptuous figure, which scholars often interpret as a symbol of fertility and prosperity within ancient hunter-gatherer societies. Its artistic style, featuring amplified forms, is consistent with other contemporary Paleolithic sites like the Pech-Merle Cave. Due to the density and quality of its engravings, Cussac is considered as archaeologically significant for engraving as the famous Lascaux Cave is for painting.

40 Elegant Portraits of Fashionable Women From the Edwardian Era

The Edwardian Era was a golden age of opulent femininity and structured grace, often immortalized in the “S-bend” silhouette. Portraits from this period capture the “Gibson Girl” ideal: a woman who was tall, slender, and commanded presence through voluminous pompadour hairstyles and extravagant millinery adorned with feathers and lace.

Unlike the rigid Victorian era, Edwardian fashion embraced softness and light, utilizing delicate fabrics like chiffon, silk, and Irish crochet to create “lingerie dresses” that appeared ethereal yet sophisticated.

These portraits serve as more than just fashion plates, they are historical windows into an era of leisure and aristocratic refinement, where every detail, from the high boned collars to the sweeping trains, signified a lady’s social standing and the romantic transition into the modern world.

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40 Publicity Portraits of Amanda Blake as Miss Kitty Russell on the Western Television Series “Gunsmoke”

Amanda Blake’s portrayal of Miss Kitty Russell on Gunsmoke is one of the most enduring performances in television history. She played the role for 19 years (1955–1974), becoming the definitive “saloon keeper with a heart of gold.”

In the early seasons, Kitty’s profession was more overtly implied to be a “madam,” consistent with the gritty realism of the radio show. However, as the TV series progressed and moved toward a more family-friendly tone, her role shifted into the more “respectable” owner and operator of the Long Branch Saloon. Unlike many female characters of the era, Kitty was a self-sufficient businesswoman. She was often seen managing ledgers and staff, holding her own in a male-dominated frontier.

The central tension of the show was her unspoken, long-term relationship with Marshal Matt Dillon. While they never married or even explicitly shared a screen kiss, their deep mutual respect and affection were the emotional anchor of the series.

Blake brought a specific blend of toughness and vulnerability to the role that prevented Kitty from becoming a caricature. Her signature look, vibrant red hair and elaborate Victorian dresses, made her a visual icon of the Old West. Much like James Arness, Blake played Kitty with a “poker face” that made her rare moments of emotion more powerful. She was known for her sharp tongue and ability to trade barbs with Doc Adams or keep rowdy cowboys in check.

After 19 seasons, Amanda Blake decided to leave Gunsmoke in 1974, just one year before the show was ultimately canceled. The grueling schedule and the commute from her home in Phoenix to Hollywood had become taxing. Her departure was written into the show by having Kitty simply “leave town,” a move that many fans felt left a void in the final season.

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