NAACP Mourns the Passing of Barbara Graves
May 27, 2012(Destin, FL) – Barbara Graves, a guiding force of Black Enterprise Magazine and wife of founder Earl G. Graves, Sr., passed away this week at the age of 74.
“Barbara Graves was truly devoted to the mission of empowering communities of color and promoting economic empowerment,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Her contributions to Black Enterprise Magazine inspired countless young businessmen and businesswomen of color, and helped open doors for so many people. We honor her memory.”
“Barbara Graves played a vital role in the lasting success of Black Enterprise Magazine,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “She dedicated her life to advancing opportunities for minority entrepreneurs. She leaves behind a living legacy as a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and as the matriarch of an important institution. She will be sorely missed.”
“The world is saddened by the passing of my dear friend Barbara Graves,” stated NAACP New York State Conference President and National Board of Directors Member Hazel N. Dukes. “She served others in so many proud ways, as a wife, a mother and a loving grandmother. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family in this time of mourning.”
Black Enterprise Magazine was founded in 1970 as the premier business news and investment resource for African Americans. Today it holds a readership of 3.7 million people. In over forty years at the company, Ms. Graves served as editorial director, circulation director, chief financial officer and other positions as she helped guide the magazine’s success.
Ms. Graves was a strong supporter of the NAACP along with her husband, Earl G. Graves, Sr., who won the Spingarn Award in 1999 for outstanding achievement by a person of color.
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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
