The Pepsi Challenge
Thursday, September 27 2007
by
More than fifty years ago, NC Mutual Life - one of America's oldest black-owned companies - replaced all of its Coke machines with Pepsi machines. This seemingly minor event held real significance. It was the work of the nation’s only all-black sales team, which was hired by Pepsi’s CEO in the 1940s, with a mandate to corner the so-called "Negro market". Author and Wall Street Journal editor Stephanie Capparell joins host Frank Stasio to talk about her book, "The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier in American Business" (Wall Street Journal Books/2007).
