The Bakewell Company
Danny J. Bakewell Sr.
The Bakewell Company
Danny J. Bakewell Sr.
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. possesses the unique ability to bring diverse people together for the common good of their communities, and the nation as a whole. His commitment to self-help, dignity and respect for Africa-Americans has earned him the reputation as “one of the most dynamic leaders in America today”, says the Los Angeles Times.
Bakewell’s vision, charismatic confidence, circle of friends, associates in government, entertainment, private industry, and urban communities, make him a hotly sought after spokes-person for local, and global media outlets.
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
Beginning as the Director of New Careers at UCLA, he combined academic with social consciousness. Not being satisfied that his talents and energies were being fully utilized at U.C.L.A, he moved on and became involved with the Black Congress, As a result of his work with the Black Congress Bakewell was afforded the opportunity to head the Brotherhood Crusade. Working in concert with the late Walter Bremond, he co-founded the National Black United Fund, which now has twenty-two affiliates throughout the country.
For more than three decades, Bakewell was at the helm of the Brotherhood Crusade. Under his guidance and bold leadership, the organization has grown considerably. In 1980, Bakewell negotiated the purchase of the one million dollar, 17,000 square foot office complex that presently serves as the Brotherhood Crusade Corporate Headquarters.
Due to Bakewell’s efforts, Brotherhood Crusade is now a nationally recognized civil rights advocate organization providing more than sixty (60) million dollars to community programs and services throughout Southern California.
Bakewell’s social advocacy efforts are legendary. Understanding the value of well-established securities, he purchased stock in Media One, The Gas Company, and Edison. He then orchestrated a picket and boycott of such corporate entities to ensure non-profit institutions had access to employee giving campaigns that were previously monopolized by United Way.
In a joint effort with other community leaders, Bakewell confronted the Beverly Hills office of the South African Consulate to protest the practice of apartheid. Moreover, he refused to attend and be honored at an NAACP Awards Presentation because Frank Sinatra was a presenter. Prior to the event, Sinatra performed in South Africa, “crossing the line” of the apartheid boycott instituted by entertainers and athletes worldwide.
In 1992, South Los Angeles was mired by civil unrest, devastating the community’s infrastructure. The rebuilding efforts set off frenzy for construction work. Bakewell was there to make sure that African Americans were not left out. He coined the slogan, “IF WE DON’T WORK, NOBODY WORKS.” The events of this era highlighted the need for social and career training models for inner-city administrators and elected officials that would enable them to revitalize their communities. Bakewell and Brotherhood Crusade founded the Emergency Rescue Units, which later evolved into the African American Unity Center, to address these needs.
As a spokesperson and co-chair of the historic Million Man March and Million More Movement, he has addressed the world and represented Los Angeles forcefully, and proudly, he was there to see that Judge Ito did ‘the right thing’ about former detective Mark Fuhrman’s insidious remarks.
Bakewell led the charge in the SAVE THE DREAM MARCH along with the Reverend Jesse Jackson to stem conservative efforts to turn the clock back on the Civil Rights Gains of the 60s. Bakewell also led a coalition of community leaders in forcing United Paramount Network to cancel “The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer”, a show that disrespected the memory of the slavery of Black people.
Danny Bakewell, Sr. started the BROTHERHOOD CRUSADE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND CAPITAL FUND to assist community businesses and instituted the annual WALTER BREMOND PIONEER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in memory of Walter Bremond.
HUMANITARIAN
Bakewell founded SABRIYA’S CASTLE OF FUN FOUNDATION, in memory of his daughter, SABRIYA, who lost her life to leukemia. The Bakewell family developed a revolutionary program to assist children, during their treatments associated with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases. This is now known as “Fun Therapy”.
As well as, in 1998, Bakewell, through his company Hawthorne Renaissance Plaza, donated one million dollars to three community organizations in Hawthorne and Los Angeles.
He has been featured on 20/20 and B.E.T. as well as in EBONY and JET magazine. BLACK PHILANTHROPY AND SELF-HELP IN AMERICA, THE BLACK SCHOLAR, and BLUEPRINT FOR BLACK POWER have also featured Bakewell. Additionally, Aretha Franklin, Berry Gordy, Jr., Quincy Jones, and the late Johnnie Cochran have all mentioned him in their autobiographies.
DEVELOPER & BUSINESSMAN
Bakewell’s most recent acquisition is the purchase of WBOK Radio station in New Orleans, Louisiana. This adds to Bakewell family’s growing media holdings which includes the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper that was purchased in 2004. The Los Angeles Sentinel is the oldest and the largest Black-owned newspaper on the West Coast and it was recently named the nation’s Number One Black Newspaper. Of the acquisition, Bakewell said, “We consider it an honor, privilege and awesome responsibility to be in the position of influencing Black thought and reporting the news affecting Black people accurately”
Also, as chairman of the Bakewell Company, he recently built about 400 luxury upscale homes in the city of Seaside in the Monterey Peninsula, California. This was the first major private development on the Fort Ord Army base since its closing.
As a businessman, financer and developer, Bakewell has breathed economic life into downtown Compton when no one else has been able to. The Compton Towne Center and Compton Renaissance Plaza stand on both sides of the Compton Boulevard corridor as testaments to his extraordinary ability. Both projects are a clear demonstration that he can hit a target that no one else is able to see. That was how it seemed when Bakewell’s company got the exclusive right to develop the Compton Town Center, which was Compton’s first major commercial development in 20 years. His success was then duplicated with the Compton Renaissance Plaza, which captured the attention of the architectural community for its contemporary mixture of African American and Spanish Styles. The 14-acre shopping center contains a 10,000 square foot and Vons Grocery Store an 86,000 square-foot K-Mart as anchor stores, in addition there are 11 permanent structures, 21 locally-owned and six national chain restaurants and stores that provide a variety of shopping and dinning experiences.
The Crenshaw/Slauson Shopping Center, which was destroyed during 1992 civil unrest, was also “touched” and revitalized by Bakewell and now serves a thriving hub for local, community shoppers.
As Chairman of the BAKEWELL COMPANY, one of the largest African-American owned development companies in the United States, Bakewell brokers and heads multi-million dollar revitalization efforts in the cities of Los Angeles, Compton, Pasadena, and other California communities. Bakewell’s signature on a project provides a majority African American workforce, and a working model of inclusion and financial success in areas often considered by others as unprofitable, and impossible to find African American talent.
Bakewell’s midas touch also partnered him with Ralph’s Grocery Food Stores; together, they developed the Adams/Vermont Shopping Center, which opened in 1997. Next in the line of his milestone achievements was the Fair Oaks Renaissance Plaza, which opened in June 1998. It consists of a 50,000 square-foot Vons Grocery Store, a national auto parts store, a large family style restaurant and a variety of other retail stores that had long been sought by local Pasadena residents. Located on North Fair Oaks, it was developed after repeated attempts by the City of Pasadena had failed.
In 1986 Bakewell was appointed President of CRANSTON SECURTIES COMPANY, a national Wall Street investment-banking firm, making him the highest-ranking African-American in the banking industry.
Politicians seek his advice because of his expertise and influence with both business and community groups. Bakewell has been an advisor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor Tom Bradley and former Governor Gray Davis.
Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. is 61 years old and currently resides in Bradbury, California, with his wife, Aline Bakewell, Esq. He is the father of three children: Danny Jr., Brandi, and Sabriya (Deceased). He has four grand children.
When he is not championing the causes of his community and of his people, he is an avid family man. He enjoys spending many quiet hours of leisure and recreational activities with his wife and grand-children. Bakewell says that the true source of the energy and motivation that sustain his endless hours of hard work and dedication is the closeness and support of his family.
HONORS & AWARDS
Bakewell has received numerous honors and awards from most recent the Trumpet Foundation inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame and recipient of the Trumpet Award, JFK Profiles in Courage Award by the Democratic Party, U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Adam Clayton Powel Award, NAACP, Roy Wilkins Award, Who’s Who Among Black Americans and Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Martin Luther King Drum Major Award to name a few.