Video: Reginald F. Lewis' legacy remains strong

AND IN THE 80'S HE WAS
CONSIDERED THE RICHEST BLACK MAN
IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT TONIGHT, IN OUR BLACK
HISTORY MONTH SERIES, WE SHOW
YOU HOW LEWIS' SPECTACULAR LIFE
STARTED RIGHT HERE IN BALTIMORE.
>> HE WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL
SELF MADE MAN.
HIS OWN LAW FIRM ON WALL STREET,
A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS
EMPIRE BUT, BEFORE ALL OF THAT
HE GREW UP IN BALTIMORE.
HE WAS BORN IN 1942.
THE HOUSE HE LIVED IN FROM
10 YEARS OLD ON IS STILL
STANDING ON WEST MOSHER STREET.
>> MY FATHER WOULD TELL HIM
TALES, AND HE SAID, POP POP, WHY
DOES WHITE GUYS HAVE TO HAVE ALL
THE FUN?
AND THAT WAS HIS BOOK.
>> THE BOOK CAME MUCH LATER.
THESE ARE ALL THE OLD BLACK AND
WHITE PICTURES FROM THE FI
.
HE DELIVERED THE AFRO NEWSPAPER
WHEN HE WAS 8.
LATER, HE WAS A STAR ATHLETE AT
DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL
>> HE RODE HIS BIKE TO WORK AT
THE SUBURBAN CLUB AFTER SCHOOL.
HE WORKED.
HE WORKED AND THE MAN SAID NO.
,>> HARD WORK WOULD CARRY HIM
THROUGH COLLEGE AT VIRGINIA
STATE AND HARVARD LAW SCHOOL,
WHERE HE WAS THE FIRST TO BE
ADMITTED WITHOUT EVEN APPLYING.
LATER HE STARTED THE LAW FIRM IN
, MANHATTAN.
AND THEN CAME THE TWO DEFINING
BUSINESS DEALS OF HIS CAREER, IN
1983, HE BOUGHT MCCALL PATTE
COMPANY FOR FOUR YEARS LATER, HE
$22.5 MILLION.
BOUGHT BEATRICE INTERNATIONAL
FOODS FOR AT THE TIME, IT WAS
$985 MILLION.
THE LARGEST OFFSHORE LEVERAGE
BUY-OUT EVER.
>> HE KNEW HOW TO MAKE DUE
WITHOUT COMPLAINING.
NOW HE DIDN'T TAKE NO CRAP, THAT
WHAT HIS FAVORITE WORD, HE TAKES
NO CRAP.
>> I'VE NEVER LIKED ANYONE
TELLING ME WHAT COULD OR COULD
NOT DO.
>> HE ENJOYED A GRAND LIFE WITH
HIS WIFE AND 2 DAUGHTERS.
AND THROUGH HIS FOUNDATION, GAVE

Video: Reginald F. Lewis' legacy remains strong

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