Why should white have all the fun

This commemorative edition presents a new introduction written by Reginald Lewis's daughter, Christina Lewis Halpern, and a new foreword by Richard Parsons, former chairman of Citigroup and former chairman and CEO of Time Warner. Their remarks are followed by new commentary from key leaders in business and education who each have been profoundly influenced by Lewis' business savvy and generosity while he lived, and in the years since his passing. Among these contributors are Ken Chenault of American Express, BET founder Robert Johnson, Mellody Hobson of Ariel Investments, Deborah C. Wright of Carver Bancorp, and James White of Jamba Juice. 

This renewed edition is a living, breathing, continuing testament to Reginald Lewis' passion for "the deal" and for life itself. Each contributor in this book shares Lewis' zest and enthusiasm, and appreciation in their own way, his glass ceiling-shattering question: Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?

CATEGORY

Autobiography, Business

When you think of Black billionaires, the names Oprah Winfrey and Jay-Z may instantly come to mind. However, it was Reginald Lewis who paved the way for American moguls in the 1980s. The lawyer and entrepreneur was the first Black man in America to conduct a $985 million deal.

After purchasing McCall Pattern Company for $22.5 million and selling it at a 90-1 return, Lewis then bought Beatrice International Foods in an almost billion-dollar deal, renamed it TLC Beatrice Holdings Inc. and within a year propelled the company to over $1 billion in sales (making it the first Black-owned company to have more than $1 billion in annual sales).

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After 25 years we’re still asking: ‘Why should white guys have all the fun?’

In 1993, following a brain cancer diagnosis, Reginald Lewis faced an untimely death at 50. During his lifetime, he left a gift for African-American entrepreneurs: Why Should White Guys Have All The Fun? This book tells the detailed story of Reginald Lewis and important aspects of his life from his point of view.

Now in 2020, the book is being re-issued by his wife, Loida Lewis and daughter Christina Lewis.

The book is now available on Audible and narrated by AudioFile Magazine’s Best Voices Of The Year, actor JD Jackson, whose infectious voice takes us through the life of one of the most successful men in America.

theGrio caught up with Christina Lewis, philanthropist and founder of AllStar Code and co-founder of GiveBlck, who is continuing her family’s legacy and making America a more equal place.

During this uncertain time and in an economy that is struggling, Lewis shares advice instilled in her from her father on the importance of financial literacy.

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“Dad knew how to save and he knew to invest. He read not one but every major newspaper in the morning. The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, New York Times and USA Today. In France, he read the International Herald Tribune, The Financial Times and Le Monde. So I learned that to be an accomplished and capable person in investing and business you must be knowledgeable and up to date on current events,” said Lewis.

While Mr. Lewis didn’t experience a pandemic, in what seems like inopportune times to others, Christina Lewis said that her dad would be “looking for his edge” during this time.

“He would be looking for opportunities to buy companies in areas where he felt knowledgeable. Interest rates are low so he would likely be refinancing,” she said. “Mike Milken told me he thinks Dad, if he were alive, would have gone into industrials. Boring businesses usually have the best cash flow.”

Though the book was written 25 years ago, there are a lot of principles that are applicable today. Lewis reveals, “The book tells one of the greatest rags to riches stories in history. It is happy and sad, funny and authentic. Plus, it has a teaching guide element so readers can learn my Dad’s habits and processes so they can achieve their goals too, whatever they are.”

It’s more than a financial book, it’s guaranteed to expand your mindset and provide you with applicable tools for the personal rigor necessary for growth both financially and mentally.  

While you can access the book via Amazon or Audible, Lewis also encourages us to access it in print from a Black-owned bookstore. 

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Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun? is the inspiring story of Reginald Lewis: lawyer, Wall Street wizard, philanthropist — and the wealthiest black man in American history.

When six-year-old Reginald Lewis overheard his grandparents discussing employment discrimination against African Americans, he asked, “Why should white guys have all the fun?" This self-assured child would grow up to become the CEO of Beatrice International and one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever. At the time of his death in 1993, his personal fortune was estimated in excess of $400 million and his vast commercial empire spanned four continents. Despite the notoriety surrounding Lewis's financial coups, little has been written about the life of this remarkable man. Based on Lewis's unfinished autobiography, as well as scores of interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, the book cuts through the myth and media hype to reveal the man behind the legend. What emerges is a vivid portrait of a proud, fiercely determined individual with a razor-sharp tongue — and an intellect to match — who would settle for nothing less than excellence from himself and others.