Jim Crow Laws

The Jim Crow Laws were a series of laws that were based upon the principle of "separate but equal".  Starting in the Southern states in 1890, these laws spread mainly through the south for the better part of a century.  These laws were more prevalent in the southern states due to the Civil War.  The "separate but equal" idea was not always the case.  Schools were segregated, public places were segregated, including restaurants, restrooms, and drinking fountains.  The facilities for the African Americans were in worse condition, and usually did not work.  Following the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's, and court cases like Brown vs Board of Education, the Jim Crow Laws were put to an end by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws

Owner of a Railroad

      Having the money to build a railroad meant that a person was pretty well off.  For Leland Stanford, this was the case.  Stanford moved out west in 1852 and took over his brother's grocery business.  He then became quick friends with some people who had leverage in the local government.  He was then elected to become the president of the Central Pacific railroad, which broke ground on January 8th, 1863.  Stanford went on to leave a legacy, dipping into company funding to establish a private institution, named after his son who died from typhoid in 1884.  Leland Stanford Junior University opened in November, 1885.

      Being a business owner in the 1800s was rough, especially out in the west.  Most territories out in the west did not become states until the late 1800s, so there were no laws to protect your business.  Business was also cut throat.  People did anything to get ahead out in the west.  People could come to your house in the middle of the night, and force you to give up your business, or kill you.

Source:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/tcrr-stanford/