In 1910, America’s population had swelled to 76 million people, the average worker made $12.98 for a 59 hour workweek, milk was being routinely pasteurized, and a corpulent William Howard Taft was President.

The telegraph was being replaced by the telephone, railroads moved goods and passengers in record numbers, automobiles were becoming more and more visible, and Ping-Pong, a new game imported from Great Britain, was all the rage.

Colossal fortunes were being made by Morgan, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller and every man had his own shot at fame and fortune.

Unless, of course, he was black.