Herman Petty

Herman Petty was a pioneering entrepreneur who opened the first Black-owned McDonald's franchise in Chicago in 1968. He was a key figure in Operation Breadbasket, a program established by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to promote economic empowerment among African Americans. Petty's success with McDonald's paved the way for other Black franchisees and helped to create a pipeline of opportunities for African American business owners. He is remembered as a trailblazer in the field of entrepreneurship and a champion of economic justice.