Trailblazing Black Entrepreneurs and Advocates Throughout History
While there have been countless trailblazing Black entrepreneurs throughout history, as well as dedicated men and women of color advocating for access to the American Dream for MBEs (including members of our team at the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council), today, we are taking a moment to spotlight just a few. During Black History Month, and throughout the year, we applaud the entrepreneurial spirit, achievements, and contributions of these individuals, those that preceded them, and those that will follow in their remarkable footsteps.
Annie Turnbo Malone and Madam C.J. Walker
“Annie Turnbo Malone and Madam C.J. Walker were pioneers of the African American beauty industry and groundbreaking entrepreneurs. Each woman developed haircare and beauty products, created beauty schools, and launched highly successful businesses that employed hundreds of African Americans (mainly women),” according to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. They were also known for their philanthropy and were considered two of the wealthiest American women in the early 1900s. In fact, Madam C.J. Walker was the first American woman to become a self-made millionaire. Per the Library of Congress, Madam C.J. Walker adopted an enterprising marketing strategy that increased demand for her products, using proceeds from sales to purchase advertisements in African American newspapers and traveling the country by train to teach Black women how to use products created specifically for their hair.
Reginald F. Lewis
“Reginald F. Lewis was a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and most notably — the first African American to build a billion-dollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc.,” per Christian Olaniran, CBS Baltimore. “He is widely regarded as one of the greatest African American business leaders of all time, and his life and work serve as a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and vision.” Known for his business strategies and investments, as well as his substantial financial contributions to various educational institutions, Lewis solidified his lasting legacy by establishing the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation to advance economic and social justice, and invest in African-American youth. Today, a Baltimore City public school, the Reginald F. Lewis High School of Business, Law, and Agriculture, bears his name, as well as the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture in downtown Baltimore.
Harriet Michel
Of course, we would be remiss not to include Harriet Michel, retired NMSDC President and CEO, and one of the “giants of minority business enterprise development and advocacy,” per Minority Business News USA. After serving as program officer for the National Scholarship Service, Michel was named Executive Director of the New York Foundation in 1970 and became the first African American woman to head a major foundation. She also served as Director of the Department of Labor’s Office of Community Youth Empowerment Programs under President Jimmy Carter. During her tenure with NMSDC, which began in 1988 and lasted over two decades, Michel “transformed what it meant to be a minority business in America” by shifting the mindset towards entrepreneurship. Michel’s contributions are vast, including outlining the 5 maturation levels of supplier diversity — the model we still use today. “For her work, Michel has received many awards including the 2004 Enterprising Woman of the Year Award, the Executive Leadership Council’s Achievement Award, and the Legacy Award from the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency,” according to NMSDC.
The Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council is a non-profit organization and regional affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), serving minority-owned businesses (Asian, Black, Hispanic, and Native American) throughout Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware. To learn more about our mission and how to get involved, visit us at emsdc.org or contact us today.
The mission of the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council (EMSDC) is to stimulate and support economic development with minority-owned businesses throughout Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware, in an effort to initiate growth and opportunity through Supplier Diversity channels. As an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), we certify and connect MBEs with member corporations that are committed to supplier development and want to purchase their products, services, and solutions.