J. Bruce Llewellyn

February 29, 2008

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Profile America for the 29th day of Black History Month. J. Bruce Llewellyn was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He immediately showed aptitude for business. After building up several firms, he earned four college degrees, including one in law. Later, Llewellyn bought the Philadelphia branch of one of the nation’s top soft-drink bottlers, tripling its revenues in just two years. Though an avid businessman, he remembered his roots and has strongly supported several community and educational programs. Across the U.S., there are 516 firms making soft drinks, worth $32 billion a year. Of these, 72 are owned by African-Americans. This special edition of Profile America for Black History Month is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.