CHICAGO CRUSADER 11-28-2015.qxp_Sheriff 9/8/07 2007 11/25/15 1:01 AM Page 9

COMMUNITY The HistoryMakers hosts PBS Taping ‘An Evening with Sheila Johnson’ The HistoryMakers, a national Johnson is co-founder of Black non-profit that develops, preserves, Entertainment Television (BET), and provides online access to an Founder and CEO of Salamander archival collection of African Amer - Hotels & Resorts and the only ican videotaped oral histories, pre - African-American woman to have sented “An Evening with Sheila ownership in three professional Johnson” on Saturday, November sports teams: the NBA’s Washing - 14, 2015 at The Art Institute of ton Wizards, the NHL’s Washing - Chicago. The celebrity interview ton Capitals and the WNBA’s program, “The HistoryMakers, An Washington Mystics. Evening With…” is an annual The taping also included tribute fundraiser for the organization. performances by R&B artists Kin - The program consisted of a one- dred and Family Soul, accom - on-one interview with Johnson plished vocalists Joan Collaso and conducted by award-winning jour - Everett Greene and violinist Susan nalist and taped live for Starrett. The evening ended with a airing on PBS-TV. Ifill’s interview gala reception in the Modern Wing led the audience through Johnson’s of the Art Institute. successful life as an entrepreneur. , founder

GUESTS ATTENDING THE HistoryMakers’ 15th Anniversary live taping for airing on PBS enjoyed Gwen Ifill as she interviewed Sheila Johnson, successful entrepreneur and philan- thropist. Ifill, who has interviewed many other popular HistoryMakers such as Diahann Carroll, Quincy Jones, Eartha Kitt, and Smokey Robinson, is the moderator and managing edi- tor of “” and co-anchor and managing editor for “The PBS NEWSHOUR w/Gwen Ifill and .” and executive director of The Histo - Chair. who have distinguished themselves ryMakers, served as executive pro - As the hallmark celebrity interview in their respective fields. Among ducer. Michelle T. Boone, Commis - program and fundraiser for The His - those previously interviewed are sioner of the City of Chicago’s De- toryMakers, “An Evening With…” Harry Belafonte, Dionne Warwick, partment of Cultural Affairs and has previously honored men and Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, BB King, Special Events served as Honorary women from multiple disciplines Colin Powell, Della Reese, Russell Simmons, Diahann Carroll, Den- yce Graves, Nikki Giovanni, An - ONE OF THE local HistoryMakers, Thomas Burrell with his drew Young, Earl Graves and Berry wife, Madeleine Burrell. Gordy. The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video oral history archive, is a 501 (c)(3) non- profit dedicated to recording and preserving the personal histories of well-known and unsung . Recently, The History - Makers designated the Library of Congress to serve as the permanent repository for its collection of inter - views. To date, the organization has interviewed over 2,700 History - Makers with the goal of creating an archive of 5,000 interviews or 20,000 hours of unique, first person testimony. SHEILA JOHNSON (LEFT) with Julieanna Richardson, DERNARD AND MICHELLE NEWELL at the reception prior Executive Director of HistoryMakers at the gala reception fol- For more information contact to live PBS-TV taping. lowing the event. www.TheHistoryMakers.com

AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST Gwen Ifill (right) with former Senator Carol Moseley Braun, both were previously in- THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM at the Art Institute of Chicago Kindred Family Soul per- terviewed for HistoryMakers. formed, which included a tribute to Sheila Johnson.

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