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Yesterday's Architects

Jordan C. Jackson Jr.: The Self-Taught Slave Who Became Lexington's First Black Undertaker — Then Took on Jim Crow

He taught himself to read and write in secret. He became a lawyer, newspaper editor, funeral director, and Republican National Convention delegate. He stood before the Kentucky legislature in 1892 and fought a segregation law. He credited his wife for everything.

By BEB Editor • 11 min read

The Pulse

Enforcement Tightens the Operating Envelope for Fintech — Winners Will Treat Compliance as Product

The Black Executive Journal — Afternoon Edition | Thursday, April 2, 2026

By BEB Editor • 6 min read

Today's Builders

He Ran a $23 Billion Business Unit. Then He Tried to Run the NAACP.

Bruce S. Gordon spent 35 years climbing from management trainee to president of Verizon's retail division — overseeing $23 billion in annual revenue and 35,000 employees. When he walked into the NAACP in 2005, he was the most powerful corporate executive ever to hold the role. He lasted 19 months.

By BEB Editor • 10 min read

The Pulse

Fed's 2026 Message Is "Higher-for-Longer" — The Real Story Is How Capital Is Being Repriced Across Borders

The Black Executive Journal — Morning Edition | Thursday, April 2, 2026

By BEB Editor • 6 min read

Featured Series

The Spread That Nobody Talks About

A multi-billion-dollar pricing gap in global remittances is fueling a race to own diaspora financial infrastructure.

By Noah Carmichael • 8 min read

Today's Builders

He Built the Bible of Black Business From a $250,000 Bank Loan and a Blank Page

Earl G. Graves Sr. did not inherit a media company. He created the category. In August 1970, with a loan from Chase Manhattan Bank, a small staff, and a mission that had no commercial precedent, he put the first issue of Black Enterprise on newsstands.

By BEB Editor • 9 min read