Napoleon Hill

Hill was born in 1883 in a one-room cabin in Wise Country, Virginia and his mother died when he was only 10. He was apparently one of the roughest boys in the country, but his new stepmother encouraged him to become literate. At 15, he began providing articles for local newspapers.

While working for Orison Swett Marden's Sucess magazine, Hill interviewed Andrew Carnegie. Hill had also worked for President Woodrow Wilson as public relations adviser.

With W. Clement Stone, Hill started the magazine Success Unlimited and wrote the bestseller Success through a Positive Mental Attitude. His last full work was the more philosophical and autobiographical Grow Rich with Peace of Mind (1967). After his death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice for African American, was completed by Dennise Kimbor from Hill's notes.