- Categories:
- Special Interest
- Tags:
- CareersWork
- Where:
- United States
- Date change rule:
- Every August
- Holiday emoji:
- ✊
Black Business Month is celebrated throughout August, acknowledging and appreciating the profound impact of Black-owned businesses across the nation. This month highlights their role in driving economic growth and fostering diversity. Join in by actively seeking out and supporting Black entrepreneurs, sharing their stories, and advocating for equitable opportunities.
Want to sponsor Black Business Month? Learn how
Expected Black Business Month Deals
Throughout Black Business Month, various organizations and major retailers launch initiatives to support Black-owned enterprises. Look for special promotions from brands like Target, which often highlights Black-owned brands on its shelves and online. Etsy and Amazon also feature curated storefronts for Black entrepreneurs, making discovery easy. Local chambers of commerce and business alliances, such as the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., will host events, workshops, and networking opportunities. Many Black-owned banks like OneUnited Bank may offer special programs or resources for business growth. Expect to see social media campaigns from companies like Mastercard and American Express encouraging consumers to ‘shop Black.’ We will update this page with confirmed live deals and events as August approaches.
Platform Guide for Black Business Month
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #BlackBusinessMonth. Share profiles of inspiring Black entrepreneurs and discuss economic empowerment.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #BlackBusinessMonth. Share local Black-owned businesses and community events.
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #BlackBusinessMonth. Post visually appealing content featuring Black-owned products and services.
Black Business Month Hero
Maggie Lena Walker
History of Black Business Month
The history of Black Business Month can be traced back to the year 2004, when engineering entrepreneur Frederick E. Jordan partnered with the president and executive editor of the scholarly publishing company eAccess Corp,’ John William Templeton, to start this annual event. The intention of the pair was to “drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African-American businesses,” in order to highlight and empower Black business owners all over, especially given the unique challenges faced by minority business owners. This stemmed from Jordan’s own personal experience of the struggle to gain financial backing and funding when he began his own firm in San Francisco in 1969.
Today, he is the successful owner of F. E. Jordan Associates Inc., a company that has international reach, but it also led him to realize that the odds are still not in favor of Black entrepreneurship. To push for equity in the business spaces and to celebrate those who are thriving despite the challenges, Black Business Month is a month-long celebration of entrepreneurs who beat the odds.
Since the late 1700s, both free and enslaved Black people began to open their own small businesses, from barbershops to tobacco shops and shoemaking. As emancipation grew, so did the establishment of Black-owned businesses, and this led to the period between 1900 — 1930 being labeled as the ‘golden age’ of Black-owned businesses. Segregation saw entire districts becoming Black-owned, such as Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In 1915, with the establishment of The National Negro Business League, there was widespread support of African-American entrepreneurship, with The National Business League spreading to over 34 states. By 2002, 1.2 million of the United States’ 23 million businesses were owned by Black people, bringing in a revenue of over $150 billion! How’s that for booming business?
Black Business Month timeline
The North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company is established and quickly becomes one of the oldest and most prominent Black-owned insurance companies in the U.S.
Booker T. Washington founds The National Negro Business League (later renamed The National Business League), to support Black entrepreneurs as they start out.
In the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, affluent Black businesses mushroom and flourish, earning the nickname Black Wall Street.
Reginald Lewis is the first African-American to build a billion-dollar company — TLC International Holding.
Founded by Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton, Black Business Month becomes an annual celebration.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Black Business Month
Local businesses can honor Black Business Month by actively seeking out Black-owned suppliers and vendors, fostering diverse partnerships within their supply chains. Restaurants and retailers can host ‘shop local, shop Black’ events, featuring products and services from Black entrepreneurs in their community. Consider a mentorship program where established businesses offer guidance and resources to emerging Black-owned startups. Agencies can offer pro-bono marketing or consulting services to help amplify the reach of Black businesses, strengthening the local economy.
Black Business Month FAQs
When is Black Business Month?
Black Business Month 2026 runs throughout August, celebrating Black entrepreneurs and their impact on the U.S. economy. It’s a dedicated period to promote and support Black-owned enterprises.
How many Black-owned businesses are there in the U.S.?
According to recent data, there are approximately 3.12 million Black-owned businesses in the U.S., accounting for about 10% of all American businesses. These enterprises contribute significantly to job creation and economic activity.
What is the economic impact of Black-owned businesses?
Black-owned businesses generate over $200 billion in annual revenue and employ millions of people across the United States. Their economic impact extends beyond direct revenue, fostering community wealth and driving innovation in diverse industries.
What challenges do Black-owned businesses face?
Black-owned businesses often face unique challenges, including limited access to capital, systemic biases in lending, and disparities in market access. These hurdles can make it more difficult to scale operations and compete effectively.
How to Observe Black Business Month
Show your support
Use Black directories on the internet to guide you to black-owned businesses for your daily needs or any car repair work or fine-tuning that needs doing. This can help you shop local when it comes to small businesses owned by Black people. You can also follow the hashtag trails on social media to follow Black business pages and help them gain a wider reach.
Read about black entrepreneurship
Support Black entrepreneurs by hearing what they have to say firsthand. There is a ton of literature out there that has been written and read by successful black entrepreneurs and businesspeople, so grab any one and get reading. To help you out, we bring you some of the more popular ones, including, "The Color of Money" by Mehrsa Baradaran, "The Little Black Book of Success" by Elaine Meryl Brown, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie, and "Everyday Millionaires" by Chris Hogan.
Try 'Black Food Fridays'
Look no farther than #BlackFoodFridays on Instagram to be part of the super-cool movement started by Charleston, South Carolina's writer/activist/innovator — K. J. Kearney. The aim of the movement is simple; to direct peoples' attention to black-owned restaurants all over the country. The idea is now developing into a business, with apps like ‘EatOkra’ also doing the same.
5 Important Facts About Disparity In Black Businesses
Ratios matter
A study shows that median wealth held by White to Black families is 10:1.
Unemployment
Historically, twice as many Black have been unemployed than White people.
Wage disparity affects generations
There is a greater likelihood that Black children will live in poverty as compared to White children.
Homeownership
Only 42% of Black families own their homes, as compared to 73% of White families.
School to prison trajectory
African-Americans are six times more likely to be incarcerated than their White counterparts.
Why Black Business Month is Important
It champions equity
Black Business Month ensures that Black-owned businesses get the recognition and patronage they so richly deserve, especially if any of them are struggling to stay afloat. To celebrate Black-owned businesses is to empower more people from the African-American communities to dream big and begin their own entrepreneurial journeys, and we love the empowerment that brings us one step closer to achieving equity.
It supports minorities
Since African-Americans belong to the category of minority communities, their businesses are more likely to be hard-hit as opposed to White-owned businesses, perhaps simply because systemic racism is still prevalent in the nation — whether latent or blatant. Supporting these businesses is a way of acknowledging and celebrating the struggle and encouraging Black-owned businesses to keep booming.
Inclusivity and diversity
If there are two terms that define our current generation's entire zeitgeist, they are inclusivity and diversity. The best part is that these will never go out of fashion, as we make leaps and strides into making sure that institutional racism and prejudice go out of style for good. Since Black-owned businesses are what bring in more diversity, our job is to support these to make sure that all minority communities can be inspired to enter the fray and contribute to the nation's economic and sociological well-being.
Social Media Tips for Black Business Month
Individuals
Creators
Brands