Pace, Harry
1884-1943 · Contribution: 1921
Founded Black Swan Records, one of the first Black-owned record labels

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Founded Black Swan Records in 1921, one of the earliest Black-owned record labels, and produced the first recording of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' a song that became known as the Black National Anthem.
Life & background
A businessman, Pace founded Black Swan Records in 1921, one of the first Black-owned record labels in the United States, using it to record and promote Black musicians across genres including blues, Broadway tunes, and classical composers. The label produced the first recording of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' in 1923, though it operated for only about three years before closing.
Sources
- Essence (3 Black-Owned Record Labels That Changed Music History); NPR
More in Business & Misc.
Ajao, Adeyemi
unknown
Co-founded Base10 Partners, the first Black-led venture capital firm to manage over $1 billion in assets
Allen, Byron
1961-present
Built Allen Media Group from a single bartered celebrity-interview show into a multibillion-dollar media empire spanning broadcast television stations, cable networks, The Weather Channel, and a controlling stake in BuzzFeed, making him one of the wealthiest Black media owners in American history
Allen, Eliza
c.1840-after 1910
Only woman listed on the founding charter of the first chartered African American-owned bank in the United States
Awotona, Tope
1981-
Founded Calendly, a widely used scheduling software platform