African Americans historically have played a role in shaping the economic development of their race and of the country, though only recently have they received attention in this regard. Current representation of African Americans in some of corporate America's top positions and as owners of technology companies reflect current trends in society and is a step toward closing the racial gap. This two-volume reference work provides students and general readers easy access to information on African American business leaders, companies, associations, and other business subjects. Written by more than 50 contributors, entries discuss both historical and contemporary figures and topics that help illustrate the occupations and businesses of blacks throughout history.



Spanning the early 18th century to the present day, over 200 alphabetically arranged entries describe people and topics related to the history of African American business development, including: Berry O'Kelly, Advertising Agencies, Franklin Delano Raines, National Association of Black Women Entrepreneurs, Oprah Winfrey, Retail Industry, National Alliance of Market Developers, Kenneth Chenault, Spike Lee, Legal Defense and Education Fund, Myrtle Potter, Quincy Jones, Faith-Based Entrepreneurship, Credit Unions, Sylvia Woods, Eddie Murphy, Minority Enterprise Development Week, and more. Primary documents and statistical tables are also included to help display the numerous contributions of blacks in business.