Motown Museum event to honor black family-owned businesses

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit’s Motown Museum is organizing an event to celebrate the entrepreneurial legacy of the Gordy family and black family-owned businesses in honor of Black History Month.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled for Feb. 28 at TechTown. The program will be moderated by Paul Riser Jr., one of the business incubator’s managing directors and son of Motown Records’ musician and arranger Paul Riser Sr.

Presentations will include a history of the Gordy family’s migration to Detroit and its role in shaping the company founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959. The museum was opened in 1985 by Gordy’s sister, Esther Gordy Edwards.

Representatives from other black businesses are expected to share their successes and failures, as well as offer advice to budding entrepreneurs.