First Boulevard
The business, the turning points, and the decisions behind them.
Some sections are still being researched2 / 4
Sections to complete：02 · 05
01 / WHAT IT BUILT
What the company did
First Boulevard was a digital bank built for Black America, founded in 2020 by Donald Hawkins (with co-founder Asya Bradley) in the wake of George Floyd's murder, with the mission of helping Black America build generational wealth and reclaim its $1.4 trillion in annual economic impact. Its 'Cash Back for Buying Black' program gave customers up to 15% cash back at Black-owned businesses, alongside early direct deposit, no hidden fees, and financial-literacy tools. It raised a $5 million seed round in February 2021 from investors including Gabrielle Union, Union Square Ventures' John Buttrick, Barclays, and Anthemis, and became Visa's first crypto-API pilot partner in 2021.
02 / FAILURE REASONS
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
03 / EVENT HISTORY
Events in the structured record
- Founded
Donald Hawkins founded First Boulevard (initially Tenth) in 2020 as an unapologetically Black-focused digital bank after George Floyd's murder.
- Seed and Visa partnership
First Boulevard raised a $5 million seed round (Gabrielle Union, USV, Barclays, Anthemis) and became Visa's first crypto-API pilot partner, planning a Visa debit card with 'Cash Back for Buying Black.'
04 / CONTEMPORARY REBUILD ASSESSMENT
Difficulty of rebuilding this project today
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.
Overall assessment: Not completed
05 / CAUSAL CHAIN / AFTERMATH
Material for this section is being gathered and checked. It will appear here once ready.