Famous black entrepreneurs

In the course of business history, many black men and women became famous and their business tales told and retold simply because of the amazing twists in their lives, often involving conquering a challenge or turning themselves around from a troubled past, proving that obstacles are nothing compared to a formidable spirit to survive and eventually succeed.

When one talks about famous black entrepreneurs, Oprah Winfrey will always top the list. Her multi-billion dollar Harpo Entertainment started out in 1988 as an ordinary entrepreneurial venture when she saw the need to start a company that would take care and manage her career as a talk show host. In the early stages of Harpo, it produced only two small-budgeted films. Today, it has numerous investments in films, television, radio, recording and publishing.

Before she became a consistent lister in the Forbes annual list of richest people in the world, Oprah's childhood was spent in poverty in Wisconsin. She was molested as a child which marked her soul but became her source of strength to rally for the cause of women. Education became her tool to rise above her struggles, studying and at the same time working for local radio station WLAC-TV in Nashville. That started her stellar success in entertainment, with her self-named talk show Oprah which started in 1986 and now widely syndicated across the world.

Another famous black entrepreneur is Joseph B. Anderson. His story was the subject of the documentary film "The Anderson Platoon" which bagged the 1967 Best Documentary Film Award from both the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards that year. Anderson was a distinguished military man with a degree in Math and Engineering from the United States Military Academy. From a notable military career, it seems he was content to retire. But he thought of ways to use his rich experiences and expertise and help his comrades, so he founded Tag Holdings, LLC, now the parent firm of a diverse group of companies involved in manufacturing and service-related ventures.