Iconic Presentations, LLC

I’m looking forward to visiting Virginia State University’s campus to deliver a Hidden Hospitality Experience for the Dept. of Hospitality Management and the College of Agriculture students and faculty.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 28th from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in the L. Douglas Wilder Building Auditorium.

The event is free and open to the public! We hope to see you there!

MORE EXCITING NEWS!

My Hidden Hospitality podcast interview on Black Authors Matter TV is a finalist!

The second round of voting among the finalists runs through April 28th. I would be so grateful if you took a couple of moments to vote for me. I’m in the History category when you get to the voting page.

Here is the link to vote 👉🏾 https://lnkd.in/eNDT7yWV

If you haven’t purchased your copy of Hidden Hospitality, please visit calvinstovall.com/shop to buy your copy today. Thank you!

In honor of Women’s History Month, we celebrate the trailblazing women entrepreneurs and hoteliers whose leadership helped define the industry we know today and opened doors for generations to follow.

Sara Spencer Washington was a prominent Black businesswoman, entrepreneur, hotelier, philanthropist, civil rights activist, and one of America’s first Black millionaires. “Madame Washington,” as she was widely known, was the owner of Apex Enterprises, a hair products empire based in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In 1944, Washington purchased the 250-room Brigantine Hotel from religious leader Father Devine and established the first integrated beachfront in the Atlantic City area. Previously, Black beachgoers, including luminaries like Martin Luther King Jr. and Sammy Davis Jr., were relegated to two blocks of beachfront between Missouri and Mississippi Avenues, fondly known as Chicken Bone Beach.

Although she suffered a stroke in 1947, which left her paralyzed, Washington continued to provide for Atlantic City’s Black community and operate her empire until her death in 1953.

Washington was posthumously inducted into the Atlantic County Women’s Hall of Fame in 1997. In October 2021, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

The Brigantine Hotel, now known as Legacy Vacation Resorts Brigantine, is the only building associated with Washington’s empire still standing today.

Learn more about Washington in my NAACP Image Award-nominated book, Hidden Hospitality. calvinstovall.com

Sara Spencer Washington image courtesy of the Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Earlier this month, Kitchen (pictured 2nd from left) owner of the Dunns Josephine Hotel hosted a Hidden Hospitality book signing event at her beautiful property located in the Historic Overtown neighborhood of Miami, FL. It was such an incredible experience! Kristin, thank you for your gracious hospitality and for being a shining symbol of Black excellence in the world of hospitality for us all. 💫

I have several Hidden Hospitality book signing events coming up during Black History Month. If your schedule permits, we would love to see your face in the place.

👉🏾 February 10th - Museum of History Charlotte, NC - 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST https://charlottemuseum.org/programs-events/events/hidden-hospitality-untold-stories-of-black-hotel-motel-and-resort-owners/

👉🏾 February 12th - History Center in partnership with the DC, Washington, DC - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hidden-hospitality-author-talk-conversation-featuring-calvin-stovall-jr-tickets-1980411490078

👉🏾 February 25th – Carolina Central University - NCCU School of Business, Durham, NC – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST

If you have any suggestions on where a Hidden Hospitality book signing event would be welcomed, please drop it in the comments.

Purchase your copy of Hidden Hospitality today at calvinstovall.com/shop Thanks so much for your support in this work. I’m truly grateful! 🙏🏽

Black History Month Countdown: Less than 30 Days to Go!

February is approaching fast—and now booking the Hidden Hospitality Experience, a powerful keynote + private book signing that celebrates the legacy of historic Black hotel, motel, and resort owners.

Now booking for select February 2026 dates only. DM me now or email me at [email protected] to secure your date before they’re all gone! 🛎️

If you happen to be in the Greensboro, NC area tomorrow, Friday, January 9, 2026, I’ll be at Scuppernong Books at 6:00 p.m. Please stop by the bookstore. I would love to meet you and autograph a copy of Hidden Hospitality for you! 📖 🖊️

Pictured: James Wormley, owner of the Wormley Hotel in Washington, DC—image courtesy of DC History Center, General Portrait Collection.