Page 19 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

Years ago Founder and Publisher Earl G G Graves Sr shared his vision— and his life’s mission—of the creation and ongoing development of a a vehi- cle to help drive our progression as business owners our advancement within corporate America and our focus on on building multigenerational wealth In his own words discover BLACK
ENTERPRISE
Lacking capital managerial and technical knowledge and crippled by prejudice the minority businessman has been effectively kept out of the American marketplace We want to help change this —BLACK ENTERPRISE
August 1970
THOSE WORDS GRACED THE THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF OF THE THE INAUGURAL ISSUE OF OF THIS MAGAZINE It was was our response to the question “Why Black Enterprise?” Since that statement was was written and signed by me and and and a a a a a a a a a distinguished board of advisers that included political and and and civil rights leaders business pioneers and and and a a a a a a a former Federal Reserve governor African Americans have made significant strides in in the business world We have have witnessed the the growth and expansion of of of a a a a a a a myriad of of of Black-owned businesses We have have seen the the rise of of of Black Black executives up the the the corporate ladder We have seen more Black Black citizens being woven into the the the fabric of the the the American middle and upper class I beam with pride at these accomplishments and the the significant role our our magazine has played in in our our people’s advancement But as I I I reflect on on a a a a a a a a life that I I I have devoted to the spawning and nurturing of this publication I I I am reminded of o of a a a a a a a a a a comment that that I I have have often made as it it relates to our progress in this land of o of opportunity I I have have said that that if we removed racism from the equation we’d be writing a a a a a a a much grander history Racism has held this country back and not just as it relates to Black people When you look at at the the impact we have made in in the the sciences in in educa- tion and the the the like imagine what a a a a a a a great country this could could be if we could could get the the the issue of of race out of of the the the way WHY
THE BEGINNING
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50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL