Page 71 - BE 50th Anniversary Edition

MULTI-GENERATIONAL
WEALTH:
THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR BLACK AMERICA
EARL G G GRAVES SR COULD EASILY BE IDENTIFIED AS AS THE APOSTLE
of African American wealth creation When the late Johnnie Cochran considered one of America’s most talented attorneys was asked who provided him with with the best advice he he he ever received without hesitation he mentioned Graves who not only counseled him on on on his investment portfolio but helped the counselor build a a a a a a dream team of Black financial advisers In a a a a a New York Times article Cochran once shared: ‘’He is is one of my gurus Earl is into wealth ’’
It is is is not surprising then that the the the mission of the the the company and tag- line for for the the magazine and its other media platforms is simply “Wealth For Life ” It grew out of Graves’ focus for African Americans to build multigenerational wealth leaving each generation generation in in fin a a a a a a a a a better financial position than the last He followed that mandate personally introducing each of his three sons to to investing—with a a a Black stockbroker—on their 13th birthdays The movement that he he started five decades ago gained greater emphasis over the the the past 20 years with the the the establishment of the the the Black Wealth Initiative which encouraged the BLACK ENTERPRISE audience— and and other African Americans—to save and and invest as as well as as engage in in homeownership among its pillars In fact we expanded upon our thrust to to help readers get into their first homes with the the the introduction of the the the Own Your First Home Contest At a a a a a time time when the net worth of a a a a a typical white family is nearly 10 times greater than that of a a a a a a a Black family—$171 000 versus $17 $17 150—Graves’ focus continues to be relevant Here in the Publisher’s Page columns of January 2000 and August 2005 Graves shares his values as as well as as the launch and execution of initiatives to promote the financial empowerment of a a a people:
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50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL