Chicago's Self-Made Black Business Pioneers is a much-anticipated book that profiles several Chicago-based entrepreneurs, some known and some unknown or rarely talked about, that created both economic and social change in Chicago and inspired the entire country with their excellence. The purpose of this book is to inspire, motivate and empower the reader with the profiles and lessons learned from these great Black business pioneers. It's important to see, through the lens of history, the realm of human possibility; to see what others have accomplished and not only what those obstacles were but also what their mindset had to be to overcome. It's important to see what has happened, not to just look back in the rear view mirror of life and marvel at our ancestors, but to review, analyze and learn from those lessons and principles of the past in order to use them in the present to shape our future. So take a good look at these Black business pioneers who lent their expertise and finances to the civil rights movement, created jobs and training for Black people, funded organizations that sought to improve the quality of life of our people and inspired others to do the same. As defined in Wikipedia, social entrepreneurship is the recognition of a social problem and the uses of entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a social venture to achieve a desired social change. Although the term was not coined back then, these Black business pioneers truly were social entrepreneurs. In addition, the author identifies 11 lessons learned from these pioneers as well as three things that everyone can do to help create a new generation of Black business giants. "At a time in Chicago with high unemployment and high murder rate, I believe we can learn some valuable lessons from the past that can help reduce the social problems plaguing the Black community. I believe this book will help change some lives," said Toure Muhammad. In Chicago's Self-Made Black Business Pioneers, the author profiles some of Chicago's self-made Black business pioneers that have helped to shape Chicago and the entire country via their entrepreneurial spirit, courage and vision. From the establishment of businesses that created thousands of jobs and opportunity to training programs and funding efforts to reduce a variety of social, economic and political problems, these Black business pioneers give us a blueprint for today. This book is perfect for students, parents, teachers, current and future business owners.
About the Author: Toure Muhammad is a former educator both in the public and private elementary school sector and author of two other books. The Morehouse College graduate earned a BA in History in 1993 and has also worked as a print journalist for The Final Call newspaper and has contributed to publications such as Chicago Defender, N'Digo, Rolling Out, New York Amsterdam News and others. Since 1989 he's been an advocate for supporting Black businesses and has been actively involved in marketing and promoting and selling for Black businesses.