02/24/2026
William Madison “Gooseneck Bill” McDonald (1866–1950) stands among the most influential Black leaders in Texas history. Rising from the son of formerly enslaved parents, he became a towering figure in Black institutional life during the Jim Crow era. McDonald served for decades as Grand Secretary of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas, was 6th Grand Joshua and the first Grand Father Joshua of the Heroines of Jericho Grand Youth Palace, and held membership in the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, using fraternal networks as engines of economic and community advancement.
Through his leadership in finance, McDonald became widely recognized as the first Black millionaire in the state of Texas. As head of the Fraternal Bank & Trust Company, he helped provide loans, savings, and financial stability to African Americans shut out of white banking institutions. Beyond banking, he extended a helping hand to the Black community by building and supporting institutions such as the Jim Hotel, a major Black-owned hospitality center during segregation, and helping organize the Colored State Fair, which promoted Black agriculture, business, and cultural achievement. Through business, fraternal leadership, and public influence, McDonald helped lay the foundation for Black economic independence and institutional strength in Fort Worth and across Texas.
