About the Conference
what is the a.g. gaston Conference | About A.G.Gaston

what is the a.g. Gaston Conference

“Our planning team has debated the “What Is The A.G. Gaston Conference” question for quite some time.  We originally named the event the A.G. Gaston Economic Empowerment Conference, but shortened the name to the A.G. Gaston Conference leading up to conference three in 2007.  As we approach conference four, however, it is becoming evident that the conference is and should continue to be about empowerment.

Gaston, himself was an empowerer.  He valued education.  Education is empowering.  He created enterprises.  Enterprise is empowering.  He helped people develop.  Development is empowering.  He succeeded.  Success is empowering.

As a business owner Gaston impacted the entire community, improving the quality of life for many individuals. He knew that successful business ownership is a key to making communities safer, more viable and is in everyone’s best interests.  The entire market place wins when we help business owners from all walks of life become more successful.  In other words, the more people we make or help to be more competitive, the better off we all are.  The Gaston Conference hopes to spread its message regarding empowerment to all who will listen and benefit.

As Gaston’s achievements during his life verifies, there are many avenues to empowerment.  Our planning team has a great deal of expertise and interest in business and enterprise development; naturally then our conference have looked closely at business ownership as a wealth creation and empowerment strategy.  But we haven’t overlooked the fact that education and community service are necessary for empowerment as well.  Consider the fact that as we honor individuals that, like Gaston, found needs and filled them in our community, we selected business owners, civic leaders, educators and members of the clergy.

Economic Empowerment has been said to be the next leg in the civil and human rights agenda.  Therefore, we are proud to proclaim that the A. G. Gaston Conference is, and will continue to be about empowerment.

about A.G. Gaston

Dr. A.G. Gaston (1892 - 1996)

The grandson of slaves, born into poverty in 1892 in the Deep South, Arthur George Gaston died at the age of 103 with a fortune worth well over $130 million and a business empire spanning communications, real estate, and insurance.  Gaston was, by any measure, a heroic figure whose wealth and influence bore comparison to of J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie.  His first job, after serving in the celebrated al-Black regiment during World War I, bound him to the near-slavery conditions of an Alabama coal mine – but even here Gaston saw hope and opportunity. 

This except, taken from the book written by his niece and grandniece, chronicles that period when Gaston first took small steps into the role of entrepreneur that ultimately lead to the giant leap of Black Enterprise naming him, on the eve of his 100th birthday, Entrepreneur of the Century.

Excerpt taken from Black Enterprise Magazine, February 2004