Black History: African American Entertainment Entrepreneurs

I have posted this blog to acknowledge and to celebrate African American entrepreneurs who made their names in the entertainment field, and achieved great success at a time when few opportunities existed for Black people.

People who provided employment and training for African Americans, helped Black performers to forge successful careers, and contributed to the financial prosperity of the Black community.

Don Cornelius, producer and presenter of Soul Train, was one of the first African American entrepreneurs whose business operated without white backing.

Click here to watch a video about Don Cornelius.

Berry Gordy founded the Motown empire. He had worked in a car factory himself, and based Motown on the way the automobile factories operated.

Click here to read more about Berry Gordy and the legend that is Motown.

Oscar Micheaux was the first African American to make a feature film. He promoted African American actors from 1919/20 onwards. Click here to read more about Oscar Micheaux's life and work.

Plus click here for free advice from Black business experts.

This blog contains hundreds of Black history resources. To locate them, just type "Black history" into the search box.

Is This Racial Stereotyping?

I phoned The Wright Stuff on Channel 5 this morning.

They were discussing the new TV drama, Top Boy, soon to be seen on Channel 4.

Top Boy, which will star Ashley Walters, has been criticised for focusing on young, Black gangsters and drug dealers. Hackney Council has withdrawn its permission to shoot the drama within the borough, saying that it negatively stereotypes Black youth.

The producers argue that the drama reflects life for young people on inner-city estates.

Nina Wadia, an Asian actress from EastEnders, echoed these thoughts on the show today.

My argument is that, yes, it does represent some of the realities of life for some young people.

However, there are many more stories that are not being told or not made into dramas for TV and film.

When we keep seeing the same portrayal of Black people over and over again, these images become stereotypes and cliches.

In Black Success Stories, I have profiled many successful Black people in Britain.

My free More Black Success ebooks also feature the experience of successful Black people in a range of fields.

Don't just protest against negative stereotyping. Produce positive images and positive stories like the ones in Black Success Stories and More Black Success.

The Gollywog Issue (Again)

On Channel 5's The Wright Stuff this morning, they are discussing gollywogs. Should they be banned? Someone put a gollywog in their window in order deliberately to offend their Black neighbours.

In my book Black Success Stories, the founder of the Black Cultural Archives, Len Garrison, talked about the research he had done into the use of groteque images of African people in the British colonies. He was struck by the amount of money manufacturers had invested in preserving these types of images.

Yet some people still find the need to defend the use of these dolls with their grotesque features.

I find it fascinating the way The Wright Stuff tackles issues, including racial issues. They look at issues from lots of different angles and different people on the panel have widely varying views. And Matthew Wright genuinely appears willing to learn - at least sometimes.

Ian Wright 'axed from Live From Studio Five'

Presenter and former footballer Ian Wright is claiming he was fired from Live at Studio Five. I reckon he was the best thing about that show.

Click here to read more.

This reminds me of when Henry Bonsu was sacked from the BBC because he was "too intellectual". He talks about this in Black Success Stories. He was also a regular panellist on Five's The Wright Stuff at the time, but soon disappeared from that show as well.

Moira Stuart was later sacked by the BBC reportedly for being "too old".

Ludovic Kennedy once said there were too many Black people on TV - looks like Five are doing something about it.

I'm on TV Tonight!

I will be appearing on the Rhoda Wilson Show tonight (Friday 19th June) at 10:00 p.m. I hope you will join us.

Rhoda will interview me about my book Success Strategies for Black People and about my Nonviolent Communication (NVC) workshops for the African Caribbean Community.

BEN TV, Sky Channel 184
The Rhoda Wilson Show

I am very passionate about this work. It is changing people's lives.