Carolina Built

Josephine Napoleon Leary was born into slavery in North Carolina in 1856. After emancipation she was freed at 9 years old. Intelligent, kind and a hard worker - there is nothing Jo wanted more than to become successful and take care of her family. Josephine married Sweety Leary and they built a life together in the small town of Edenton. She helps him run his barber shop but it is not long before Jo’s entrepreneurial spirit takes hold and she strikes out on her own. Most unlikely for a woman of that time, purchasing land was difficult and she successfully created passive income supplementing their monthly bills. That savings allowed her to buy additional properties over the next few years which brought their family the financial security she had always craved. Filled with passion and ambition nothing was ever easy for Jo but she never gave up her beliefs that women could equally meet the business demands of men. This reimagined story takes place in the late 1800’s, is well researched and fascinating. As a black woman with all the odds against her Josephine Leary followed her dreams becoming a wife, loving mother and a successful businesswoman. Her largely forgotten legacy still stands today and her accomplishments for women and the African American community speak for itself. Perseverance, hard work and faith, Josephine Leary is an inspiration to us all. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️