At Fort Worth City Hall, a proclamation was read making June 22 Gooseneck Bill Day, named after the city’s first Black millionaire.
William Madison McDonald, also known as Gooseneck Bill, was a prominent Black businessman in the early 20th century Fort Worth community.
Gooseneck Bill, who passed at the age of 84 in 1950, owned a bank, hotel and several homes.
He served as a principal at a Black high school in Forney and was an active member of the Republican party for more than 30 years, encouraging Black residents in the area to vote.
Gooseneck Bill has been dubbed by the HERU CDC (Community Development Corporation) and Black Wall Street Fort Worth as the most influential Black person in Fort Worth history.
The City of Fort Worth has scheduled a week of events surrounding the day for the entire community to get involved in. Find more information about the events here.
