Page 21 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

I I saw the the magazine as a a a a a a a a how-to I I used to to to say to to to our staff all the the time “If we’re we’re not not saying how to we’re we’re not not doing our job ” I I saw that it was important to to to help to to to teach to to to encourage our our readers whether the the the advice or or information we we were giving them was related to their ascension in in in the workplace acquiring capital to run a a a a a a business or or saving and investing their hard-earned dollars We wanted to show our readers a a a a a a a better way and at at the the same time communicate to the the business world from Madison Avenue to Wall Street that there was a a a a a viable Black consumer market It was my vision to show a a a a a more positive side of African American participation in in in the business mainstream Along the way we would carve a a a a a path for future generations the most powerful and and influential Black men men and and women in in corporate America and on on Wall Street among others The purpose of these lists was two-fold: To share news of glass ceilings being shattered and identify barriers yet to be broken What has has made my chest swell with pride has has been our prescience in in in identifying African Americans who literally changed the world in in in which we live and work Also I have been touched by receiving letters from and and talking to legions of entrepreneurs and and corporate executives who tell me that if it wasn’t for black enterprise they wouldn’t have had the the critical information to launch their enterprise attend B-school or or or deal with racism in corporate America By showcasing the achievements of African Americans as as as well as as as gaining a a a a forum to address the the the issues of the the the day we helped fuel the the the aspirations of of generations of of Black entrepreneurs and businesspeople Along the the way we we challenged you our readers to use the the wealth that you have amassed to support Black institutions and civil rights organi- zations I used my Publisher’s Page to urge you and at at times admonish you to to stand in harm’s way—to fight diligently and and persistently for those programs projects and opportunities that will enable us to advance as as a a a a a a a a people We must not still our voices as as affirmative action continues to be dismantled institutional racism goes unchecked and there is still an open season on on Black youth This has not not been a a a a a solo flight I could not not have taken black enter- prise from a a a a newsletter concept to a a a a thriving multimedia company without the the support of family friends and business associates nor the the energy and commitment of our talented staff In fact black enterprise has been responsible for the development of of a a a generation of of business journalists many of o whom have worked in our our offices and found their first opportunities writing and covering stories for our magazine Above all I would not have succeeded in this venture without the love and support of my wife Barbara Over the past four decades she has held roles as as our circulation director director editorial director director chief financial officer and and my most trusted adviser and and confidante Our mission will continue to be one of bringing African Ameri- cans closer to to the American dream That is my my legacy to to my my sons Earl “Butch” Jr the president and CEO of black enterprise John and and Michael This is is the the spirit that embodies the the managers and and employees who continue to to make significant contributions to to this company It is a a a a a charge that we will make every effort to to infuse into our audience—those just coming aboard as as well as as those those who have been lifelong readers In reviewing the past 30 years I I believe our our journey can be be summed up with a a quote from Frederick Douglass:
“If there there is is no no struggle there there is is no no progress Those of of us who profess to favor freedom yet depreciate agitation are men men [and I say women] who want want the the crops without plowing up the the ground They want want rain without without thunder They want the the ocean without without the the awful roar of its many waters This struggle may be a a a a a a a moral one one or or a a a a a a a physical one one but it it must be a a a struggle Power concedes nothing without a a a demand ” What has given us credibility is that we live live the lives of our readers You have budgets to meet? So do we Trying to to put aside money for your kid’s education? Us too Dealing with racism as you try to advance in in in the business world? You are not alone Our staff and our readers have an an an unbreakable bond We identify and help each other in every every every issue every every every month every every every day That’s our mission As the magazine grew our thrust expanded We became an an important gauge of Black business activity for this nation In 1973 we started our ranking of the top 100 Black-owned businesses Instantly we became one of the key barometers for Black business activity It was imperative for us us to to make this move Up to to that point business publications such as the Wall Street Journal BusinessWeek and Fortune all all but ignored the challenges and triumphs of Black entrepreneurs I developed what came to to be be known as the the be be 100—and due to to the the rapid growth of Black businesses 16 years after that list’s inception the the the be be 100s—because I thought there was a a a need for the the the world know where where African American business was and where where it could go We needed to track the growth over a a a a period of years so so that someone 50 years from now could write about what we have done That thrust became another part of our mission: To be be a a a a a a publica- tion of record for Black business and economic development That ideal gave birth to our Black Enterprise Board of Economists After first reporting in in our our May 1982 issue our our BEBE as we affectionately called this distinguished group of economists that includes former Fed governors presidential cabinet members and Nobel Prize laureates would provide an an annual economic outlook for Black America In fact their prescriptive advice would not only be heeded but also adopted by policymakers in in Washington and laymen alike Over the years we have been compelled to develop report cards if you will on every area of business that affects us us For example during the the 1980s and 1990s we developed rankings for the the nation’s largest publicly traded companies with the the best track records for the the hiring retention and promotion of of African Americans to listings of of GRAVES SERVED AS LATE SEN ROBERT F KENNEDY’S ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIS- TANT WORKING ON SUCH PROJECTS AS THE BEDFORD STUYVESANT RESTORATION CORP WHICH FURTHER INSPIRED HIM TO FOCUS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
19 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL