Obama Makes Ebony's "Power 150"
Since 1963, magazine lists most-influential black Americans
AP
President-elect Barack Obama waves to the crowd after his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008.
For the second year in a row, President Obama is included on Ebony Magazine's "Power 150" list of influential African-Americans.
The list, in its 46th year, celebrates black trailblazers in fields such as business, science, technology, education and politics.
What constitutes a trailblazer? According to bossip.com:
In the past year, did the individual transcend his or her position and exhibit widespread national influence?
In the past year, did the individual affect in a decisive and positive way the lives, thinking and actions of large segments of the African-American population, either by his or her position in a key group, or by his or her personal reach and influence?
According to editors of the world's largest African-American magazine, Al Sharpton, Chris Rock and Venus and Serena Williams all made the cut.
The list is part of what Ebony executives call the magazine's "reinvigorated voice," which will cover a "wider variety of viewpoints and perspectives with a distinctive point of view," the Chicago Sun-Times explained.
The move is part of a "multi-phase reorganization" that hopes to keep the company from going under, NBC Chicago reported earlier this year.
The company is seeking out buyers and investors, and earlier this summer, mortgaged its Michigan Avenue headquarters.
Its owner, Johnson Publishing, ranked No. 1 on Crain’s 2008 list of Chicago’s largest minority-owned companies. With $453.3 million in revenue in 2007, the company beat out Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Inc.
Posted Saturday, Nov 14, 2009 - 11:47 AM CST
