Charles S. Johnson was the entrepreneur of the Harlem Renaissance who linked the everyday struggles of blacks with the larger business, intellectual and political currents of the day – a guidepost for the HCI!

More than 100 publishers, magazine editors, artists and writers gathered at New York City’s Civic Club on March 21, 1924 to acknowledge and celebrate the emerging abundance of black creative talent. The event was the first of a number of interracial promotional events organized by Charles S. Johnson to draw attention to the young writers of the Harlem Renaissance. The idea for the dinner had been discussed among the members of a group that called itself the Writers’ Guild, it met in Harlem and included Johnson and a number of other writers. Johnson launched a monthly publication in 1923, called “Opportunity” which launched the careers of promising black writers. Jonson staged the dinner to ballyhoo the talents of Opportunity contributors.

The guest list was carefully interracial: It included scores of African American writers, many of the most influential white editors and publishers of the time. The attendees heard a number of speeches by editors and publishers.

Much of the white literary formation became captivated with the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and black Harlem writers received wide recognition with many works published in mass numbers. Much of the literature focused on a rational representation of black life. The Harlem Renaissance influenced future generations of black writers and allowed them the opportunity to seek success in the publishing sector. The Harlem Renaissance gave life to the importance of Black expression. Through the Harlem Renaissance, Black culture became part of the American mainstream.

The HCI Communications platform will highlight current, emerging and past business success of black entrepreneurs. We will have guest writers from academia, business, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, market analysts, cultural influencers, etc. , – to create an engagement discourse platform focused on black entrepreneurs and businesses with the goal of becoming the mecca for black business and commerce similar to the kind of impact that the Harlem Renaissance has had on culture, literature and art.

The HCI will be the communications platform for black entrepreneurs and business thought leaders to voice their opinions and broadcast the ability of blacks to create great business concepts, new innovations, technology breakthroughs – and for HCI Co-brand partners, corporate executives, financiers, economists from other communities to present market insights, emerging trends, etc. Black entrepreneurs will be thrilled to finally be noticed and have the opportunity to access the capital raising ecosystem.

The HCI Communications platform will be an entrepreneur talent gatherer and internet marketing tool. It will get the word out about the HCI, driving submissions and inspiring a new generation of would-be-black entrepreneurs.