.png)
February is Black History Month and today is the day of love, so it's only fitting that we shine a light on someone whose passion for history and hospitality is undeniable. Meet Calvin Stovall—our Male Ally of the Month—who is on a mission to share the stories of the Black legends who shaped the hospitality industry. His new book, Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era , is a must-read, celebrating the resilience, brilliance, and contributions of Black hoteliers—including pioneering women who changed the game. The book isn’t out until October, but we couldn’t wait—so we convinced Calvin to give us a sneak preview!
Calvin’s love for Black history started early when his mother gave him a book featuring historically influential African Americans. While in elementary school, he and two classmates were selected to participate in a Black History competition at the DuSable Black History Museum on Chicago’s South Side, where they showcased their knowledge of key historical figures. His passion for history only grew, and later, during his time at Cornell’s Hotel School, he began researching Black hotel ownership—a journey that ultimately led to his groundbreaking new book.
Beyond being an author and historian, Calvin has had a stellar career in hospitality. From his early days as a front desk clerk to becoming Vice President of Brand Marketing at Hilton Worldwide, he has spent nearly 30 years shaping the industry. He’s also made a significant impact in the nonprofit world, working with organizations like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Soulsville Foundation. Today, he runs ICONIC Presentations, LLC, delivering high-energy keynotes and workshops, and serves as the Director of Executive Programs for The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), preparing the next generation of Black executives.
This month, we sat down with Calvin to talk about his career, the power of sponsorship, and why Hidden Hospitality is the book the industry needs right now.
Excited to have the chance to chat with you, Calvin. Thanks for taking the time! Tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to write your new book.
Oh wow. I’ll try to be succinct! I actually have a background in hospitality, even though I live in North Carolina now, right outside of Charlotte in Mooresville. But I’m originally from Chicago, and that’s where my hospitality career started. I started as a front desk clerk at a Holiday Inn in downtown Chicago, worked my way through a few front office management roles, and eventually went to graduate school at the Cornell Hotel School (now called the Nolan School of Hotel Administration).
After Cornell, I worked with Hilton Worldwide, then Promus Companies, starting at the property level before transitioning to corporate. I eventually became the Vice President of Brand Marketing for Homewood Suites—back when they only had 35 hotels! From there, I worked in nonprofit for a few years, including at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Soulsville Foundation in Memphis, TN Around 2005, I started focusing on speaking engagements focused on customer experience and leadership.
As for the book, it actually started while I was at Cornell. Evan Frazier, who was a chair with the National Society of Minority Hoteliers, asked me to research Black hotel ownership from a historical perspective for a conference. That research became my monograph at Cornell—and many years later, that monograph became the foundation for this book!
Amazing! Evan and I were classmates at Cornell—I knew you looked familiar! It’s great to reconnect. Speaking of Evan Frazier, you’re now working with him at the Advanced Leadership Institute. Tell us more about that.
Yes! Evan is the President and CEO of the Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), which is based in Pittsburgh. The institute is focused on preparing African Americans for C-suite positions across industries. We’ve had over 225 alumni go through the program, and it offers leadership education, coaching, mentorship, and an incredible alumni network.
Back when I was coming up in the industry, I didn’t have something like this. I was often the only Black leader in the room, and there were no formal programs helping African Americans navigate executive leadership. Now, with TALI, we’re building a pipeline of Black executives across industries.
You mentioned sponsorship as being key to career advancement, especially for Black professionals. Can you talk more about that?
Absolutely. Sponsorship is critical. For a long time, many of us were raised to believe that if we worked twice as hard and kept our heads down, we’d get promoted. But that’s just not how it works. People get promoted because someone in the room, specifically a senior leader,speaks up for them when they’re not there.
For me, that person was Jim Holthouser. He was a white guy—because, frankly, there weren’t Black leaders above me to do it. Jim pulled me from the property level into corporate, brought me into research, and kept promoting me as he advanced. At the time, I didn’t even know what to call it, but now I realize he was my sponsor.
For those looking to advance in their careers, especially people of color, what are three key tips you’d offer?
Find a sponsor. A mentor is great, but a sponsor is someone who actively advocates for you and helps open doors. In an ideal scenario, your mentor can become your sponsor.
Expand your network. Don’t just network within your immediate industry—find allies in different areas who can provide new perspectives and opportunities.
Speak up and own your accomplishments. Too often, we shy away from self-promotion, but visibility is key to leadership opportunities.
Back to the book—can you tell us a little bit about the journey from monograph to publication?
It was quite the journey! After rediscovering my monograph, a friend encouraged me to turn it into a book. I approached Brown Books Publishing, and they immediately saw the value in it. But because they’re a hybrid publisher, I had to raise the funding upfront—$75,000 to print 3,000 books.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association Foundation was my first major supporter. They committed to covering half if I could raise the rest. It took longer than I expected, but eventually, I secured the funding, including support from incredible leaders like Sheila Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts.
The book is a coffee table book. What makes it unique?
This is more than just a history book—it’s a visual journey. It includes over 125 vintage photographs and tells the story of Black hotel ownership from the 1700s through the modern day. Instead of just presenting facts, it walks readers chronologically through history, sharing personal stories of Black hoteliers who built remarkable businesses despite the odds.
Wow, your book highlights many trailblazing Black hoteliers, including some remarkable women. Can you share the stories of three female leaders featured in Hidden Hospitality?
Annie Box Neal was the proprietor and manager of the Mountain View Hotel, a “grand resort” opened in 1895 in Oracle, Arizona, a western mining town in the Catalina Mountains.
Rebecca Groundage Howard opened the Pacific Restaurant in Olympia, Washington, in 1860, and added lodging in 1862 to make it the Pacific Hotel and Restaurant.
In 1948, Dorothy Nash Tookes and her husband, James, turned their home in Tallahassee, Florida, into a rooming house and hotel, becoming the only lodging establishment for Black visitors to segregated Tallahassee. Over time she expanded their house to 11 bedrooms. “The hotel hosted several famous Black entertainers and luminaries including Lou Rawls, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin,” The Tookes Hotel was still so popular after desegregation, it remained in operation until the early 1980s.
Thank you for your dedication to uncovering and sharing the rich, often overlooked history of Black hotel owners. We’re eagerly anticipating the book! How can we pre-order?
Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era, is currently available for pre-purchase on Amazon.com. Thank you for your interest!