Val McCalla
Val McCalla: October 3 1943 - August 22 2002
Place of birth: Jamaica
Marital status & family: Married, children
Best known for: The millionaire publisher of the Voice newspaper
Honours & accolades: No information
McCalla first came to public attention as the publisher of the Voice newspaper, probably Britain's most successful weekly Black newspapers to date.
An accountant by trade, McCalla started the Voice newspaper in the early 80s in Hackney East London. On the back of 'race related' riots during that time it soon established itself as a campaigning organ.
Growing from strength to strength, the paper soon established itself as an recognised if not unofficial mouthpiece for the Britain's Black community and a champion campaigner for their rights.
McCalla worked hard to build the paper up and it thrived from equal opportunity advertising and links with local authorities. He was a private man who had a clear passion for the races. But whilst for some the passion for horse racing did not extend beyond the realms of the local bookies, McCalla actually owned a number of race horses, in addition to annually sponsoring races.
His death aged 58 from a reported liver complaint came as a shock to many. But he was a renowned heavy drinker who's been described by some as a Jekyll and Hyde type character - 'blowing warm the one minute and extremely cold the next.'
Loved and loathed in perhaps equal proportions through his publications he's thought to have launched and boosted the careers of well over a hundred Black journalist many of whom are now household names.
At his death he is thought to have been worth in excess of £10 million and left to mourn two sons from an previous marriage and two daughters from his second.
".. for some passion for horse racing does not extend beyond the realms of the bookies, McCalla by contrast actually owned a fair few."
The Editor
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