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DON BARDEN  THE BARDEN COS.  EST. 1981  The late Barden focused on developing a portfolio of well-run, highly profit-able companies–and managed to achieve that goal

BILL MAYS  MAYS CHEMICAL  EST. 1980  The late business pioneer launched Mays Chemical Co. Inc. in 1980, which evolved into one of the nation’s largest

CATHY HUGHES  URBAN ONE INC.  EST. 1980  Cathy Hughes started her multimedia empire with the purchase of one Washington, D.C., station in 1980. Through a

ROBERT L. JOHNSON  BET; THE RLJ COMPANIES  EST. 1980 & 1981  For 40 years, Johnson has repeatedly made business history. First, he launched Black Entertainment

COMER COTTRELL  PRO-LINE CORP.  EST. 1979  With a mere $600, the late Cottrell launched Pro-Line Corp., which would become one of the nation’s largest Black

JANICE BYRANT HOWROYD  ACT-1 GROUP  EST. 1978  Launched in 1978 with a $1,500 family loan and a small office in Beverly Hills, Act-1 Group has

FRANK MINGO & CAROLINE JONES  MINGO-JONES ADVERTISING  EST. 1977  Mingo and Jones founded the agency in 1977, which was built upon a solid reputation for

AL JOHNSON  AL JOHNSON CADILLAC INC.  EST. 1971  As the first African American to be awarded Oldsmobile and Cadillac franchises from General Motors, the late

PERCY SUTTON  INNER CITY BROADCASTING CORP.  EST. 1971  The late politician, Tuskegee Airman, and civil rights activist purchased a single radio station in New York

THOMAS BURRELL  BURRELL ADVERTISING  EST. 1971  Recognized as the “Dean of Black Advertising,” Burrell launched his Chicago-based ad agency in 1971 and spent the next