Calvin C. Reed, Jr. attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania where he studied English Literature and economics. He also studied one semester abroad and did a special research project on the subject of which was the attitude of Europeans towards Black people from the United States. The countries he studied in were Belgium, England, France, and Spain. He also attended the publishing institute at the University of Denver in Colorado. He began his professional career as the Director of the Essex County Youth and Economic Rehabilitation Commission. Also, at that time he started three magazines, “Black Oranges,” “Gospel Review” and “Happening Magazine.”

He left working for the public sector to attend the Denver Publishing Institute. After graduating from the Publishing Institute, he became a Corporate Analyst for Doubleday Books. While at Doubleday Books he became the in-house expert on cable television, and he also had book project latitude. He was able to bring in two books for publication, “Cooking for the Champ” by Lana Shabazz, who was Muhammad Ali’s personal chef and “To Be or Not To Bop,” which was Dizzy Gillespie’s biography. Among his other activities at Doubleday was the research for the acquisition of the New York Mets baseball team.

He left Doubleday to help develop cable television in Newark, New Jersey. Connection Communications Corporation, the firm he co-founded was awarded the cable franchise in 1978. He served as the Vice-President for Marketing and Corporate Development from 1978 until the company was sold in 1986. During his time in cable television, he was also successful in getting the cable franchise’s for South Orange, Jersey City and twenty-two franchises in South Carolina.

Mr. Reed is currently working with the New Africa Development Corporation to rebuild what we hope will become the New Africa District, which is a large part of the West and Central wards of Newark.