The life and times of Reginald F. Lewis

[Rhyse]

Great businessman, but it’s a shame most of his money will be going to whites and Filipinos. Black billionaires should be committed to only marrying other blacks.

That was probably my only hang up about him. And when you hear his wife tell of how he courted and was intent on being with her it makes me think why a lot of Brothers don’t feel like Sisters deserve that kind of treatment and legacy. Same with Robert Smith. Too many smart Sisters out here that could have carried that legacy on but the keys to the kingdom continue to be given away.

My oldest asked my youngest what he has against interracial relationships. The youngest said nothing. But Black women are my preference. Imagine how I’m gonna look pulling up on the family reunion with my Black Queen and my Black kids. Lol Oldest couldn’t even counter with nothing.

 

[get these nets]

Great businessman, but it’s a shame most of his money will be going to whites and Filipinos. Black billionaires should be committed to only marrying other blacks.

???
His daughters are Black, or biracial. How would most of his money be going to whites and Filipinos?

 

[TheBigBopper]

???
His daughters are Black, or biracial. How would most of his money be going to whites and Filipinos?

His wife has given away much of his money to Filipino charities and his daughters married white.

 

[J Money]

They won't make a film about great brothas like this though smh

He's a legend

 

[broller]

That was probably my only hang up about him. And when you hear his wife tell of how he courted and was intent on being with her it makes me think why a lot of Brothers don’t feel like Sisters deserve that kind of treatment and legacy. Same with Robert Smith. Too many smart Sisters out here that could have carried that legacy on but the keys to the kingdom continue to be given away.

My oldest asked my youngest what he has against interracial relationships. The youngest said nothing. But Black women are my preference. Imagine how I’m gonna look pulling up on the family reunion with my Black Queen and my Black kids. Lol Oldest couldn’t even counter with nothing.

Robert Smith's first wife is black and he has black kids who I assume will get some of his immense wealth.

 

[get these nets]

His wife has given away much of his money to Filipino charities and his daughters married white.

Reginald Lewis is a man who has been discussed here quite a bit.

His family has contributed millions to his alma mater, VSU, the city of Baltimore, and to create tech opportunities for Black young men.
He supported specific Black institutions while he was alive, and his widow and daughters have carried on that legacy.

His daughter likely married a man from similiar wealth/education, so don't see how Reginald's money is going to whites, in that instance. His grandkids would be a 1/4 Black, which equals Black in this country

 

[TheBigBopper]

Reginald Lewis is a man who has been discussed here quite a bit.

His family has contributed millions to his alma mater, VSU, the city of Baltimore, and to create tech opportunities for Black young men.
He supported specific Black institutions while he was alive, and his widow and daughters have carried on that legacy.

His daughter likely married a man from similiar wealth/education, so don't see how Reginald's money is going to whites, in that instance. His grandkids would be a 1/4 Black, which equals Black in this country

they’ll look like beige colored vaguely ethnic people who will likely marry white, further diluting the black bloodline.

Wasn’t aware of the donations his family has made to the black community, but if you go on his wife’s webpage, the vast majority of her listed charitable contributions are Filipino oriented

https://www.loidanicolaslewis.com/about/

 

[get these nets]

they’ll look like beige colored vaguely ethnic people who will likely marry white, further diluting the black bloodline.

Wasn’t aware of the donations his family has made to the black community, but if you go on his wife’s webpage, the vast majority of her listed charitable contributions are Filipino oriented

About – Official Website of Loida Nicolas Lewis

REGINALD LEWIS' DAUGHTER

==============================================================



Christina Lewis: Living on the legacy
Cyril Josh Barker | 8/2/2018, 10:10 a.m.


Christina Lewis is the daughter of late Black billionaire and business legend Reginald F. Lewis. Today she’s carrying on his legacy, giving African-Americans the tools for success as founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization All Star Code, which teaches Black and Latino boys computer skills.

Since launching the organization in 2014, hundreds of young men have graduated from the program with skills they can use to be part of the tech job market. All Star Code recently held its fifth annual Summer Benefit in East Hampton, where $900,000 was raised for the organization.

“I couldn’t do anything with my time if I wasn’t helping Black people,” she said in a recent interview with the AmNews. “Given the state of what is happening, there is so much need. I just don’t think I could not be doing something to help.

 

[TheBigBopper]

Those buildings and coding foundation are great, but still doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of his fortune will be passed down to people who are genetically more non black than black and will likely identify as such.

 

[Swirv]

He’s been an inspiration in my life for many years. However I’m careful to maintain a healthy work/life balance lest I perish earlier than needed. Breh worked very hard and didn’t enjoy the fruits for that much time.

However, when you’re on a quest to become the richest black man (or any person), you must be willing to sacrifice much. I wonder if his perspective changed in the days leading up to his death?

 

[get these nets]

Those buildings and coding foundation are great, but still doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of his fortune will be passed down to people who are genetically more non black than black and will likely identify as such.

Respect your take on this.

Hey, as post #15 indicates, he tried.

Reginald was a self made man and he leaped multiple social classes in one generation. He was in rarefied air to say the least.
By trying to plug his children into existing networks for wealthy Black children, he tried to increase the likelihood that they would pair up with Black men. Just didn't work out that way. Filipino mom or not, they could have married the son of a rich Black family, or a driven Black man cut from the same cloth as their father.

Read about what happened at Beatrice after he passed away, and the role his widow took.

 

[get these nets]

@The Hon. Stringer Bell

My first reply cut off the full comment.

Some of the truly wealthy people do not come from money, and they have maverick views and risk taking tendencies that would put them at odds with conservative views of old money.

True for the modern day tech millionaires, and true for some of the self made fortunes of Black people. Speaking of self made, one of LOG's comments reminded me of Madam CJ Walker pole vaulting over the fortunes of the old guard in her era.

"Your children will meet the children of other wealthy Blacks......well, they won't be billionaires...but they'll be well to do"

His earlier comment reminds me of another gate crasher

Spoiler

"I'd read about him in Fortune and Black Enterprise magazines"


"Reginald who?"

Your point to String is right. Excuse making is not gonna do it. People who make their mark in this world take advantage of whatever opportunities exist, and often create their own.

Speaking of which, both Reginald and his wife took unorthodox paths to becoming attorneys.
===
You were the first Asian woman to pass the NY State Bar Examination to practice law in the State of New York. Can you tell us more about this? Before 1974, being a US Citizenship was a requirement in order to take the Bar Examinations in the United States. But the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 1974 that citizenship was not essential to becoming a lawyer in the United States.
At that time, the New York State Bar Association considered the University of the Philippines College of Law equal to an American Law School. As a graduate of UP, I was eligible to take the New York State Bar examinations. In December 1974, I passed the NY Bar and became the first Asian woman to practice law in both the Philippines and in the United States. I was not a US citizen at that time and did not study in the USA, so I am the first Asian woman to pass the New York bar examinations without having graduated from a law school in the USA
====

 

[Sbp]

His wife has given away much of his money to Filipino charities and his daughters married white.

 

[invalid]

Your point to String is right. Excuse making is not gonna do it. People who make their mark in this world take advantage of whatever opportunities exist, and often create their own.

Yeah, I highlighted that part for @The Hon. Stringer Bell because he feels that blacks who "play the game" - dress the part, "schmooze", tailor their activities, things that will position them for success in white dominated elite professions, are somehow inauthentic. Reginald Lewis gave us the playbook and became the wealthiest man of his time.

The game is the game. And we got the playbook. If you're ambitious, you're going to use the playbook because in these very elite professions, the game is not going to change. You either play the game or you don't. The problem with String, who has become disaffected because he didn't have the playbook early enough to play the game, or had the playbook but realized he came up short, and decided to opt out of it, is that he denigrates black people who do.

If you decide to opt out and forge your own path, do so. But don't denigrate black people who decided to stay in and play by the rules that have already been set.

 

[invalid]

Those buildings and coding foundation are great, but still doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of his fortune will be passed down to people who are genetically more non black than black and will likely identify as such.

When you say that the vast majority of his fortune will be passed down to non-blacks than blacks, in the end, what does it matter?

Black people or anyone for that matter are not entitled to his money (if it's even still there). You make this about race, when 500 years from now, the black community will look totally different, if there is a black community at all. Racially, 500 years ago, our ancestors looked very different. In the end, it's all vanity.

Position yourself and your family so that you're not relying on the wealth of a dead black man. We're not entitled to his money. The money that was given to black causes was a blessing in itself because when it comes down to it, that money wasn't there before. Consider it a blessing and leave it at that.