Don barden and biography los angeles

Barden Inc. From this humble beginning Barden made inroads into the cable industry, eventually achieving success as the first African American cable-company owner. He then moved on to the casino industry; he first acquired a riverboat casino in Gary, Indiana, then used his experiential expertise and an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time to purchase three more casinos—including one in Las Vegas, making him the first African American to own a casino there.

As the owner of four casinos, Barden became the first African American to wholly own a national gaming company – and not just any casino, but.

Don Barden was born on December 20, , in Detroit, Michigan. His parents, Milton and Hortense, taught all of their 13 children the value of hard work and determination. During high school Barden excelled at sports as a member of his school's basketball and football teams. He went on to Central State University, in Wilberforce, Ohio, but money for college was scarce; he left after his freshman year.

Barden moved to Lorain, Ohio, and worked various odd jobs while saving money. Before long he had started a small record label as well as a publicrelations firm.

Mr.

Though Barden gained experience through his various businesses, he was not reaping the level of profit he desired. That changed when he moved into the field of real estate and helped the U. After Barden identified a building, he secured a commitment from the government for the military to lease the facility. Barden soon switched gears once more: he started a newspaper with a partner, creating the successful Lorain County Times.

He later enjoyed a short political career with his election to the Lorain City Council, serving two terms between and He soon learned of openings in the cable industry; he helped put together a deal wherein 4 percent of the cable-television franchises in Lorain and another community were set aside for investment by African Americans. Perceiving cable to be the future of television, Barden began locating primarily black communities to wire.