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Tillman has directed movies including Soul Food, Men of Honor, Notorious, Barbershop, Barbershop 2 and Beauty Shop. Gary Springer, whose public relations firm issued the release announcing Tillman's selection, said that the Tillman movie is not connected or associated with a simultaneous effort by actor Don Cheadle, who intends to direct and star in another movie based on the life of Davis.

Check out other black directors.

Black Boomers Most Likely to Start Community-Involved Business Ventures

A study by Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose, said that millions of Americans from 40 through 70 have responded to the weak economy by considering creating their own companies or nonprofit firms to help others.

The report "Encore Entrepreneurs: Creating Jobs, Meeting Needs," was funded by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures. A study sidelight reported that African Americans and women, when compared to other potential entrepreneurs, are more likely to be "involved in their communities, motivated by faith and serious about getting started."

Chicago's Last Black Public CEO Resigns, But Black CEOs Still Have Private Control

Last week, Garry McCullough resigned as CEO of the Career Education Corp., a 14,000-employee, educational-service business with 90 campuses. His departure brought the number of black CEOs at Chicago-area public companies down to zero. 

Black CEOs of major organizations still exist in Chicagoland, but they mostly lead the privately held companies they founded. These are the biggest black-owned companies by sector:

Industrial/service: Harpo Inc. ($289 million); Johnson Publishing Co. ($120 million); Promet Energy Partners ($86 million); Blackwell Consulting ($28 million)

Advertising firms: Burrell Communications Group

Financial services: Seaway Bank and Trust Co., Illinois Service Federal Savings & Loan Association, Highland Community Bank

Asset managers: Ariel Investments LLC (publicly traded), Capri Capital Partners LLC, Holland Capital Management LLC.