Bro/Sis Comes to the Vineyard
This summer, black enterprise was a proud sponsor of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol’s second annual Bro/Sis Comes to the Vineyard event held at the Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. It was a festive evening of cocktails, great food, good conversation, and fabulous friends. The evening also featured a golf-side chat between the organization’s executive director and co-founder Khary Lazarre-White and journalist Ann Graham about the unique work of The Brotherhood/Sister Sol. Other sponsors included Gibson Dunn and Dior. Find out more at www.brotherhood-sistersol.org.

Partying with a purpose! (Image: Gerard H. Gaskin)

The 2011 Black Enterprise Golf & Tennis Challenge was better than ever! From golf clinics to tip on the tennis court, from showstopping performances by Ledisi, Wyclef, Ne-yo and Mint Condition, to the dance-all-night after parties—this Labor Day weekend was one to remember!

What’s next? Time to get ready for next year! In the meantime, be sure to check out our photo gallery of the weekend’s events, and visit blackenterprise.com/events for more info on all of our upcoming events.

Tonight, a second-time-around performance from Grammy winner Wyclef Jean, guaranteed to get the crowd moving! (See Wyclef talk about his upcoming performance tonight–and tell you why you need two pairs of shoes and a change of clothes when you come to one of his shows. Yes, the energy is like that!)

Wyclef Jean. Ledisi. Ne-yo. Mint Condition.

Just a glint of the star power that will be on hand Labor Day weekend at this year’s annual Black Enterprise Golf & Tennis Challenge at the Miami Doral Golf Resort and Spa. From September 1st through September 5th, more than 1000 black professionals will enjoy events and activities every day, themed parties every evening, and exclusive performances from some of the hottest and most talented names in music during a weekend of endless entertainment!

Need more? Lounge poolside; get pampered at the spa; hit the tennis court; play a few rounds of golf; show off your game in our basketball tournament; test drive a new car; learn to cook from a master chef; get your copy of the new book The Wealth Cure signed by author and actor Hill Harper—dull moments simply don’t exist!

If you haven’t booked your registration yet, call now at 800-209-7229!

For the full schedule for the Black Enterprise Golf and Tennis Challenge, visit www.blackenterprise.com/gt.

The grandson of Alabama slaves, Powell was a WWII veteran who served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. He had been a caddy as a boy, was captain and coach of the golf club in his high school, and had played golf internationally while in the service.

But when he returned home to Ohio after the war, he was denied membership to local golf clubs and barred from playing on area courses. Undeterred, Powell worked two jobs, found two business partners, and used money raised from his brother mortgaging his home to turn a 78-acre dairy farm into an 18-hole golf course.

He began building the course, by hand, in 1946 and opened for business with the first nine holes in 1948. He completed the last nine holes 1978. He named the course Clearview Golf Club for the beautiful, panoramic views visible from the highest point on the property. Nicknamed America’s Course, Clearview is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

In November of last year, Powell was named Person of the Year by the Ohio Golf Course Owners Association and inducted into the Northern Ohio PGA Hall of Fame. Black Enterprise honored him and his contributions to golf at its 16th annual Golf & Tennis Challenge in September. And in August, the Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) gave him its Distinguished Service Award, the organization’s highest honor. He also recently received the Community Salute Award from the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In his autobiography, Clearview: America’s Course (Foxsong Publishing, 2000), Powell called Clearview a labor of love and said it felt good to have left behind something meaningful as his legacy: “I didn’t build this course for any of the recognition,” he said. “Golf is a part of society and I wanted to be included. I want you to be included, too.”

In 1999, The Congressional Black Caucus awarded him its Unsung Hero Award and the PGA gave him a lifetime membership. He was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in 1998 and the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1992, the National Golf Foundation named the Powell family the Jack Nicklaus Golf Family of the Year. Powell was also bestowed an honorary doctorate from his alma mater Wilberforce University, and from Baldwin-Wallace College. The William J. Powell Scholarship gives young people a chance to attend The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academies on college campuses.

Powell leaves behind his daughter Renee Powell, a PGA/LPGA professional and only the second African American to compete in the LPGA Tour, and his youngest son, Larry, who has been the superintendant of Clearview for more than 30 years. Renee and her father were inducted into the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. “My father made a mark,” said Renee. “And I believe that God wanted people to know the mark that he made on this nation.”

Donations may be sent to The Clearview Legacy Foundation for Education, Preservation and Research, P.O. Box 30196, East Canton, Ohio 44730, or via www.clearview-gc.com, or by calling 330-488-0404.

Wyclef

Renowned Grammy Award-winning musician, entertainer, and philanthropist Wyclef will be giving an exclusive performance to Golf & Tennis attendees this year. Having started out as a founding member of the hip-hop trio The Fugees, Wyclef’s music has crossed cultural, generational, and geographic boundaries. A 15-year veteran of the music industry, he has produced and collaborated with a wide variety of artists including Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, and Bono of U2 fame, all while expanding his own repertoire and cultivating his boundless creativity.

When he isn’t in the studio making his mark on the charts, he’s making his mark in the world as a social activist and philanthropist. Wyclef founded Yéle Haiti in 2005, a nonprofit foundation that initiates and supports programs relating to hunger, education, and other rehabilitative services in his native country.

Soulful chanteuse Chrisette Michele will also be in the building this Labor Day weekend. With two releases in heavy rotation at the time of this article—“Epiphany” and “Blame it On Me”—this two-time Grammy-nominated songstress has two albums under her belt. Chrisette first grabbed our attention as a solo artist with her debut album I Am, which featured the romantic ballads “If I Have My Way” and “Love is You,” and the mid-tempo “Be OK,” about recovering from a lost love. I AM went gold, and along with her Grammys, Chrisette was nominated for a BET Award for Best New Artist.

Chrisette upped the creative ante on her current album, Epiphany, working with talented producers Ne-Yo and Rodney Jerkins among others. Signed to Def Jam just two years ago when she personally auditioned for Def Jam Chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid (he said he got goose bumps the first time he heard her sing), Chrisette loves to perform in front of live audiences and has toured with Musiq, Raheem DeVaughn, and Solange Knowles. She’s also part of a major ad campaign by Nivea Crème Skin Company and has appeared on television sitcoms.

Joe

The son of two preachers, Joe grew up in Georgia and Alabama playing and singing gospel music. After high school, he eventually moved to New Jersey and met producer Vincent Herbert. He was signed to his first label, Polygram/Mercury, and released his first album, Everything, in 1993. After more than a decade with Jive Records, Joe is now with 563 Entertainment/Kedar Entertainment Group where he’s a label partner and executive as well as an artist.

He first came on the scene in 1986 with a self-titled debut and followed up with an album in 1988. He rose to fame with 1997′s Long Time No See, and released two more albums; in 1999 and 2003. Now, after a five-year hiatus, the unforgettable Chico DeBarge is back with a new CD, Addiction, also on the Kedar Entertainment label. His first single, “Oh no,” gives the listener some of the same smooth, laid back R&B many have come to know and appreciate him for.

Chico DeBarge

And did we mention that DJ Biz Markie will be on the turntables Saturday night? A veteran of the hip-hop generation, Biz Markie had hits in the late 80s/early 90s with “Make the Music with Your Mouth Biz,” “Just a Friend,” and “Vapors.” He even had a dance named after himself—The Biz Mark. One of the early beat box artists, Biz has established himself as an artist as well as an accomplished DJ with a reported record collection that numbers into the tens of thousands.

Biz Markie