Salute to Others Celebrating Their 30th Anniversary by Sharon Daugherty

As we celebrate our 30th Anniversary, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine wishes to applaud fellow African-American companies and organizations that have also marked their 30th anniversary year.  In the last three decades, they have broken barriers and stereotypes, and have created new places for us in business, media, education, and the arts. Now, in the 21st Century, as we take steps toward achieving new levels of success, we wish to recognize them.

National Black MBA Association, Inc.
Antoinette Malveaux, President
180 N. Michigan Ave.- Suite 1400
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 236-2622

The NBMBAA serves the needs of African-American MBA holders. They provide networking opportunities, employment search assistance, and professional development workshops. They also host an annual conference, to which they invite up-and-coming MBA degree candidates for student competitions and mentoring.

LRD Management Group
LeCount R. Davis, CEO, Principal
2 Wisconsin Cir - Suite 700
Chevy Chase, MD
(301) 961-1507

Established in 1970 by LeCount R. Davis, LRD management provides financial management services to individuals, families, and corporations. Committed to helping African Americans become more financially savvy, the firm works closely with college interns.  Davis also publishes a monthly newsletter, Finance and the African-American Family and he is working toward establishing an African-American financial advisor association.

Artists’ Collective
Jackie & Dollie McClean, Founders
1200 Albany Avenue
Hartford, CT 06112
(860) 527-3205

The Artists Collective was established to celebrate the artistic culture of the African Diaspora, and to share that culture with the Hartford, CT community through classes, exhibits and performances. Also offering various life skills and right-of-passage programs, they contribute largely to the development of youth in their community. They recently built a $7 million arts and education center, and have hosted guests such as Bill Cosby and President Bill Clinton.

Essence Communications
Edward Lewis, CEO
Clarence O. Smith, President
Susan L. Taylor, Senior Vice President
1500 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 642-0600

Beginning in the minds of Edward Lewis and Clarence Smith as a positive vehicle for celebrating the experience of Black women, Essence magazine now boasts a readership of over 7 million. Essence Communications, the magazines’ parent company, now holds eyewear, fashion, and art divisions. They celebrate cyber-success with the Essence Makeover CD-ROM, and Essence magazine online. Each year, they celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans on their prime-time network special and in their Essence Music Festival.

Black Enterprise Magazine
Earl G. Graves, Publisher
130 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011

Black Enterprise Magazine, published by Earl. G. Graves Publishing Co. Inc., focuses on business and economic topics for and about African Americans. The monthly magazine, a high-quality, four-color publication distributed nationally, provides news and commentary on money management, personal finance, business management, professional and managerial issues, and updates on industry trends.

Soul Train
c/o STI Inc.
P.O. Box 7844
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Don Cornelius produces the 60-minute dance show in association with Tribune Entertainment. As one of the longest running music shows on television, it is considered one of the most reliable promoters of African-American talent in the entertainment industry.

INROADS
Charles Story, President & CEO
1221 Locust St., Suite 410
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 241-7488

INROADS is a career development organization that links minority students with the corporate sector. The organization screens applicants and places them in internships with corporations throughout the country. It also provides students with career training seminars to further strengthen their career development.

Tony Brown’s Journal
Tony Brown Productions
1501 Broadway, Suite 2014
New York, NY 10036

The 30-minute television news magazine deals with issues for and about African Americans. Hosted by Tony Brown, one of the nation’s most recognizable and influential broadcast journalists, the show first hit the airwaves in the late ‘60s as “Black Journal.” The Emmy-winning show began broadcasting nationally in 1970 on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS).

International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters
Romeo O. Spaulding, President
4204 Vine St.
Capitol Heights, MD 20743
(301) 735-0722

The International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters is made up of more than 10,000 African-American fire fighters around the country. The association promotes fire safety to inner city neighborhoods and addresses problems faced by African-American fire fighters.

National Alliance of Black School Educators
Dr. Charlie Mae Knight, President
2816 Georgia Avenue N.W., Suite 4
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 483-1549

The National Alliance of Black School Educators is composed of more than 3,000 African-American educators. The organization addresses educational concerns of African Americans and consults with school boards and government officials on legislation that impacts education throughout America.

Sharon Daugherty is a contributing writer.