Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1545782
B M & T ••• July/August 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 4 to Denise Tyler, president/CEO of the National Policy Alliance (NPA), mayor-emer- itus, Johnny Ford and Webster Guillory, founders of NPA and the esteemed NPA member associations for their assistance in bringing this initiative to life. OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO: Sister Moutique Auodele – El, BLACK AMERICA 250 project Director and research coordinator, and to our Black America 250 executive associates Laura Mandala of Mandala Research, Teresa Stamoulis, from the Stamoulis Group, Sheila Alexander- Reid, Executive Director of PHL Diversity, Graylyn Swilley-Woods, Ph.D, executive Director of Miami VIC, Derrell Jackson of Secret Vault Productions, Katrina Ruff of Forums Meeting and John Wyche, MBA, marketing specialist. Also to BLACK AMERICA 250 advisory board co-chairs Madame MC Townsend from the Regional Cal Black Chamber SFV, and to Brenda Scott Savage, former presi- dent/CEO of Mobile CVB And to Black America 250 consultants Reginald Greene, Founder, The Institute of Applied Common Sense, LLC, Chantel Ross- François, President/CEO of East Point CVB, Melissa Cherry, Laura Libby and Najauna White from MILES Partnership, Audrey & Frank Peterman, authors of Legacy On the Land, Robert Brown of Resource Marketing, and Monchiere' Holmes-Jones, Founder/ CEO MOJO Marketing + PR. And finally to BLACK AMERICA 250 advi- sory board advocates/ambassadors Calvin Stovall, Bill Overton, Dr. Seth Pickens, Janice Edwards, Calvin Ramsey, Linda Giles, Dr. Clara Mosely, Ginny Gutierrez, Terry Brinkotter, Dr. Rhoushelle Bozeman, Charles (Smarty Pants) King Jr. and Joyce Williams You have all been the wind beneath our wings. Thank you for being on this journey with us! "It always seems impossible – until it is done" We invite our reading audience to take a look at website www.theblackameri- ca250.org and let us know what you think. Black Meetings & Tourism is published bi-monthly by Black Meetings & Tourism LCC, 20840 Chase St., Winnetka, CA 91306-1207 • Telephone: (818) 694-7830 • Copyright 2026 by Black Meetings & Tourism LCC. All rights reserved. Single Copies, $6.00 Subscriptions $45.00. Postage Paid at Pasadena, CA. •Postmaster send address changes to Black Meetings & Tourism, 20840 Chase St., Winnetka, CA 91306-1207. T ruly this is the propitious moment for BLACK AMERICA 250. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, the founding minister of the original Crystal Cathedral church in Garden Grove, California, often said; "I would rather attempt to do something GREAT and fail, than attempt NOTHING and succeed." As publishers of Black Meetings & Tourism for nearly 35 years, basically, we are "seasoned" Black journalists in Winnetka, California, spawned from the heart of New York's Harlem and the inner city of south central Los Angeles. Creating and spearheading the BLACK AMERICA 250 national initiative was and continues to be well outside of our comfort zone and our realm of expertise. With the encouragement of our son, Solomon II, who before his untimely pass- ing, was instrumental in establishing much of the design and content for this project, and from our long- time friend and col- league, Matt Thomas, (also deceased), founder of World Connect, an internation- al Incentives company, we realized that not only was this an "idea whose time had come," but that our country and the world needed to be made aware or reminded of these very real stories. We extend our profound appreciation PUBLISHER'S M E S S A G E Solomon J. Herbert Gloria M. Herbert Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Associate Publisher/Editor E-Mail: BMandTMag@aol.com glo.herbert@gmail.com