Honoring National Black Business Month

John William Templeton and Frederick E. Jordan Sr founded National Black Business Month in August 2004 to “drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African-American businesses.  Templeton, a business journalist, historian and demographer,  he was the first black business editor in the country. His business titles focus on economic development and technology.   Jordan, Sr. started his engineering and construction management company in 1969. Today, F.E. Jordan Associates Inc. comprises three offices nationally. (photo below: Jordan left, and Templeton)

it’s important to highlight the role that Black businesses play in the Black community, and the overall national economy. This is particularly important in the current climate - according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Covid-19 economic shutdown has impacted African American businesses the most among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., with a 41% decline of Black owners from February to April.

Nationally Black business owners account for about 10 percent of U.S. businesses and about 30 percent of all minority-owned businesses. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that amounts to approximately two million companies owned by African Americans. Nearly 40 percent of black-owned businesses are in health care and social assistance, repair and maintenance, and personal and laundry services. Other categories include advertising firms, auto dealerships, consulting services, restaurants, barbershops, beauty salons, and more.

In the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area, of the 5,400 plus minority-owned businesses in this region only about 55 of them are known to be black-owned. For a complete list of black-owned businesses in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe counties visit The Black Scranton Project’s - Black Business Page.

Following is a list of resources, including apps, marketplaces and directories, that make it easy to find and support Black-owned businesses across the country. Check them out below!

WeBuyBlack - Dubbing itself the “Black Amazon,” WeBuyBlack is the largest online marketplace for Black-owned businesses. The site allows you to find everyday goods such as toothpaste, face masks, and cleaning supplies, but also offers a variety of specialty items such as handmade furniture and jewelry.

Official Black Wall Street
- This app is one of the largest Black-owned business directories, listing more than 5,000 businesses in 10 different countries. Business owners can create their own listings in the app, while users can find businesses in their area along with reviews, special offers, photos, and navigation. The app will even send you alerts when you are near a Black-owned business so you can stop by in person.

EatOkra - Positioned as “your guide to Black-owned restaurants,” EatOkra is the first directory of Black-owned eateries, featuring over 2,500 restaurants across the country. Users can search by cuisine and location, and the app has options to connect you to GrubHub, DoorDash, or other delivery services.

Post 21 - Founded by a mother-daughter duo, Post 21 is a curated marketplace focused on modern and design forward products from black-owned businesses. Currently you can shop for everything from self-care products, to accessories, to toys and books, to rosé!

Black Nation - Black Nation is a social discovery app featuring a directory of Black-owned businesses from all over the country. The app’s features include business reviews, category searches, and geotagging technology that allows you to find businesses near you.

How to Observe National Black Business Month:

Educate & Support.

Take time to educate yourself about the existing Black-owned businesses in your community. Choose 2 organizations or businesses to learn about every day for the month of August. Support these businesses by purposefully making donations or purchases, or volunteering your skills/time to provide extra support. You can also research what business opportunities there are for your local African American community, and what barriers exist that limit opportunity.

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Melanian News is an independent initiative for Black Lives that Matter, serving POC communities in Wilkes-Barre & Scranton Pennsylvania.