The History of Black Owned

The history of Black entrepreneurs has stretched for thousands of years and their inventions/ legacies still outlive them to this day.

Stretching back to the very first documented,\ Black- owned business in America that got its start as an underground railroad stop.

In today’s time it is known as “E. E Ward Moving and Storage” where they now operate worldwide.

As a Black- owned business owner, stories like these could be deemed inspiring to know just how far you could come even from your first sale.

NAACP

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an organization founded in 1909 to promote the voice of Black American worldwide.

One of their main focuses was the success of Black- owned businesses and giving them a fighting chance in succeeding in a system built against them.

As America’s largest and oldest civil rights organization, the NAACP has found themselves giving back to those with visions toward entrepreneurship the same as their founders.

They have now been known to provide grants and scholarships that provide financial stability to those looking to pursue owning a business.

Black Wall Street

Known as “Black Wall Street”, the Greenwood district in Tulsa Oklahoma was founded on May 31st, 1921 by O. W Gurley as a way to advance the lives of the black people currently living in that town.

Though the black people that were found to have been already living there were granted a small area of land to reside in, it was not nearly enough to create a town as thriving as Greenwood.

Once Gurley settled there and began his work on the town, it became one of the most influential areas in America with people from all over visiting and moving in.

It was however, very short lived only because Greenwood would be set a flame due to the local racist not agreeing with the success of the town.

Today people still remember Black Wall Street for all that it was and many are fighting to help the town be restored again over 100 years later.

Ebony Magazine

Founded in 1945 by John. H Johnson from Chicago. Ebony magazine began as a small pamphlet named Negro Digest back in 1942 and later changed it’s name to Black World in 1970, before finally settling on Ebony.

Ebony has been known for portraying black life in a positive light and showing the world all that African Americans all over the world have to offer despite the use of stereotypes, biases, and slurs.

After running for print for almost 75 years, Ebony has now transferred to strictly online publishing.

They still continue to leave their marks on the black community through the use of scholarships and grants that could assist African American youth in pursuing their dreams.

BET

The Black Entertainment Network or BET was founded by Robert L. Johnson. Airing in 1980, the channel began as a 2 hour long program that ran strictly along the east coast.

As years have gone on, BET is now a 24 long program that highlights the shows/ movies/ and specials ran, written, and hosted by black creators all over the world.

They even host an annual award ceremony titled The BET Awards, where millions of people tune in to watch the success of hundreds of black creators be appreciated.

BET, after 40 plus years of service, is still very active in maintaining positive images of black creators all over the world.

The history of Black- Owned Businesses has grown to be so much more than that underground railroad stop founded thousands of years ago.

More than the pictures in a magazine or even the premier of a movie via a television broadcasting network.

The history of Black Owned Businesses has to do with the millions of Black creatives who took a chance on their visions and encouraged generations of others like themselves to do the same.