Charles Ward Chappelle (1872-1941) was an early 1900s African-American aviation pioneer and medal winner, electrical engineer, and businessman who was president of the USA’s African Union Company, Inc., whose mission in the early 1900s was to create small, modernized African cities for blacks with leased land from the Gold Coast (British colony) of West Africa. Several hundred thousand dollars in capital was raised during that time period for construction and modernization on the Gold Coast (British colony) through the stock market, and infrastructure metal deals were made with companies such as U.S. Steel. In the beginning of Chappelle's business, he was reported to have made contracts with 82 tribal chiefs in Gold Coast, West Africa, for the exportation of gold, cocoa, rubber, and mahogany. The money was to be used to develop 440 miles with the African Central Railroad and the West Coast Steam and Harbor Company, both African-American and African joint ventures.