Central Life Insurance Company of Florida

Central Life Insurance Company of Florida

Company type	Private
Industry	Insurance
Founded	1922 in Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Founder	Mary McLeod Bethune, George Schroeder Middleton, L. A. Howell, T. L. Lowrie, S. J. Johnson, C. H. Norton, W. D. Potter
Defunct	1991
Headquarters	Tampa , United States
Area served	Florida
Key people	Mary McLeod Bethune (President 1951–1955), Edward D. Davis (President by 1978)
Products	Life insurance, financial loans to Black-owned businesses

Central Life Insurance Company of Florida (1922–1991) was a U.S.-based insurance company founded by influential African American leaders in Tampa, Florida. Established amid the segregationist Jim Crow era, it specialized in providing financial loans to businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs.

History

The company's founders comprised notable figures such as Mary McLeod Bethune, George Schroeder Middleton, L. A. Howell, T. L. Lowrie, S. J. Johnson, C. H. Norton, and W. D. Potter.Bethune held the presidency from 1951 until her passing in 1955. By 1978, leadership had transitioned to Edward D. Davis.

Central Life Insurance Company of Florida maintained its main office at 1400 North Boulevard in Tampa. Earlier locations included the intersection of Harrison Street and Central Avenue in Tampa, as well as 316 West State Street in Jacksonville.Additional branches operated across Bradenton, Daytona Beach, Lakeland, Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Panama City, Pensacola, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, and West Palm Beach.

Closure and legacy

On August 27, 1991, Florida state regulators ordered the closure of Central Life Insurance Company of Florida. The organization's inability to adapt to evolving market demands resulted in financial strain and regulatory complications. Efforts to secure investment faltered when one potential backer withdrew and another faced fraud allegations alongside state-initiated asset seizures.

In recognition of founder George Schroeder Middleton's contributions, a Black high school established in 1934 was named after him; it is currently known as George S. Middleton High School.

Historical documents related to Central Life Insurance Company of Florida are preserved within the Mary McLeod Bethune Papers at the Bethune Foundation and the Robert W. and Helen S. Saunders collections housed at the University of South Florida Libraries.

See also

• Afro-American Life Insurance Company
• Atlanta Life Insurance Company