The most successful business leaders always have their own compelling philosophies, but all too often the thoughts and ideologies of high-profile African American leaders are forgotten or passed over. The ideas and practices of these visionary leaders, sometimes heralded within their own communities, are often ignored by mainstream media and, over time, many of their contributions are forgotten.  Leadership experts Leon C. Prieto and Simone T.A. Phipps re-light these extinguished torches reflecting on some of the leading black business pioneers of the late 19th and early 20th century. Exploring views that embrace the traditional African philosophies of cooperation, this study of such influential figures brings to light how heavily the "golden age of black business" was impacted by the "cooperative advantage" possessed by leaders such as Charles Clinton Spaulding, John Merrick, Alonzo Herndon, Annie Turnbo-Malone, Madam C.J Walker, and Maggie Walker. Ultimately, what Prieto and Phipps bring to light is the common thread that pulls these leaders together--namely, the love they had for their communities--and what they show is that contemporary entrepreneurs of African descent would do well to regain a cooperative advantage in order to achieve the levels of success that existed in the past.   For its recovery of important strands within African American history, and for the practical advice it gleans from those strands, this refreshing study is a must-read for business students, managers, entrepreneurs and leaders of all backgrounds. The history here brought to light demonstrates to students that they too can succeed at managing any enterprise, no matter the challenges they may face. The authors relate the history of African American management and major pioneers who contributed to the black business landscape in the US and achieved cooperative advantage for their organizations through a people-centric approach to engendering spirituality, consensus-building, and dialogue for the benefit of employees, customers, and the community. They argue for the importance of teaching African American management history, then discuss the influence of Booker T. Washington on two black business pioneers, John Merrick and Alonzo Herndon; the management philosophies and work of Charles Clinton Spaulding, who managed the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company; his article on "The Administration of Big Business" and its eight fundamental necessities of management; his article on "Business in Negro Durham" and its four cardinal points of entrepreneurship; the work of Annie Turnbo-Malone and Madame C.J. Walker in the black beauty industry; the contributions and transformational leadership of Maggie L. Walker, the first woman to serve as a bank president; and advice for entrepreneurs and executives to use to gain cooperative advantage. -- Annotation ©2019 ― (protoview.com) Leon C. Prieto is an Associate Professor of Management in Clayton State University's College of Business. He earned his BS in Business Administration from Claflin University, his MBA from Georgia Southern University and his Ph.D. in Human Resource & Leadership Development from Louisiana State University.  Simone T. A. Phipps is an Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business at Middle Georgia State University. Dr. Phipps earned her BS in Management Information Science from Claflin University, her MBA from Ohio University and her Ph.D. in Human Resource and Leadership Development from Louisiana State University.