Ewart G. Abner Jr.
Edward Gladstone Abner, Jr.
Born May 11, 1923, Chicago, IL; died December 27, 1997, in Los Angeles, CA.
A visionary and an entrepreneur, Abner successfully challenged the hierarchy of the predominantly white record industry and carved a lucrative niche for African American music. Although his reigns were marred by internal politics, the charismatic pioneer had the distinction of being president of the two most successful black-owned labels in America: Vee-Jay and Motown.