Buy Black in August

There are so many things going on. Always is! It’s quite overwhelming. And some days, I just don’t know what I wanna do, especially with it being summer. I almost feel pressured to go out sometimes because it’s that time of year where everyone and their mama is outside enjoying themselves. And, I mean, why not?! It’s so beautiful outside—most days! But I can never figure out what the hell to do. There are too many options, some of them pricey, and it’s so peopley outside. So, most times, my indecisiveness wins unless there’s something specific that I really want to do.

However, it’s August now, and y’all know what that means. It’s Black Business Month! Time to show some love and support to as many Black-owned businesses as possible and spread the word. Let people know that, yes, Black Business Month is a thing, so they can enjoy them all while giving to a community that absolutely needs it.

Now, I did a little research. Just a little! Nothing fancy. I’ve already got my places picked out—some old, some new—that I want to go to so that the indecisiveness doesn’t stop me. I’ll do my best to take pictures and post them, I swear! Y’all know I’m bad about it, but I’m feeling a little revitalized since I’ve been getting lots of naps in. But while I was searching for events and businesses in the area, I wondered, “How did Black Business Month even come about? Who thought, ‘Let’s make August Black Business Month?’” So, once I picked a handful of places, I did a little more digging.

Black Business Month founders Frederick E. Jordan (left) and John William Templeton (right)

Black Business Month was established by Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton in August 2004 to highlight, empower, celebrate, and advocate equity for Black business owners. As many of us know, Black business owners face many challenges when starting and maintaining a business, such as lack of financial backing and funding, systemic racism, little to no professional networking, and more. Frederick E. Jordan faced such challenges himself when starting up his own business in 1969. So, eventually, he decided it was necessary to do something to offset the issues and help promote Black businesses.

And let’s be real! With approximately 3.12 million Black-owned businesses in America employing about 1.6 million people that generates over $211.8 billion dollars a year (that’s right, with a B), we are doing the damn thing! Black businesses aren’t contributing chump change to the economy and therefore should be taken more seriously. Also, those are impressive stats considering all of the challenges Black business owners have to deal with on a regular basis. So, let’s encourage them in their endeavors!

In fact, here are some ways to support a Black business:

1. Spend that money! The most obvious option! Buy from Black businesses to help keep their lights on and feed their families and circulate that dollar in the Black community.

2. Attend Black events! Many Black businesses hold events, balls, parties, fundraisers, expos, etc. So, go check them out! See what they’re all about and get to know them.

3. Share on social media! You’re already on your phone scrolling. Just take a picture or two, post it on the gram or TikTok, and tag them. It’ll help so much by giving them visibility and potential customers.

4. Invest! If you’ve got a little money laying around, give it to them. Investing in a Black company helps them stay afloat and creates more opportunities. And if you don’t know where to start, click HERE and help a sista out.

As someone who is trying to put themselves out there and make a living doing what they love, I am all for this. I started The Black Quirky Queer a little over a year ago and let me tell you! It’s hard trying to build from the ground up and get noticed by people who are willing to support you. So, August is an important time of year for me, and not just to grow my own brand but to help my Black brothers and sisters in their endeavors, too.

Also, if you know of any Black-owned businesses in RVA or anywhere in the world (I’m not tethered to RVA), please let me know in the comments. I’d love to check them out if I can. If I can’t, I can definitely shout them out on social media.

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Sources

1. https://nationaltoday.com/black-business-month/

2. https://dslbd.dc.gov/nationalblackbusinessmonth

3. https://chicagodefender.com/history-of-black-business-month-explained/

4. https://kimbriah-alfrenar.medium.com/the-golden-age-of-black-business-1900-1930-ede5ed713362

5. https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/entrepreneur/demographics/

6. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-women-fastest-growing-demographic-203000472.html