The Legacy Of Black-Owned Businesses

Legacy: something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or the past.

The Black American legacy is one that is rooted in slavery. When we were brought to this country, our native cultures and ethnic identities were stripped, and a new one was forced upon us. In the past 150 years, we as a people have rebuilt our communities and strengthened our Black American identities through business ownership.

The legacy of Black-owned Businesses in America is one of reinvention and evolution. The oldest known and still in standing Black-owned business (BOB) has been in operation for 141 years. Founded in 1881, E.E. Moving & Storage, began in transportation services as a frequent stop on the underground railroad, transporting enslaved persons to safe houses via two horses and a wagon. Today, it is an award-winning organization recognized by the US Department of Commerce as the oldest Black-owned business upon receiving the Agent of the Year award for its customer service and overall commitment to safety.

Sarah Breedlove, also known as Madam C.J. Walker, bound beauty in Blackness as a beautician, and Black hair care and product specialist. Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company was established in the early 1900s. Walker grew within the community of Black women enforcing entrepreneurship and philanthropy while aligning with social and political causes. As a national supervisor, Marjorie Joyner oversaw 200 of Walker’s beauty schools. Eventually, Joyner would establish the first cosmetology laws for Illinois and Co-Found the National Council of Negro Women. Today, Madam C.J. Walker leads a legacy that inspires many Black businesswomen and is survived by brand historian and descendant A’Leia Bundles.

While in its infancy, Communion Restaurants and Bar opened in 2020 and operates out of Seattle’s historic Liberty Bank, the first Black-owned bank in the Pacific Northwest. The bank was established in 1968 to support the growing Black Community in central Seattle. Committed to serving fresh food and bringing fine dining to the area, Communion was recognized across several publications in 2021 such as New York Times Restaurant List, becoming widely known as “Seattle’s Soul” food as described by owner Chef Kristi Brown.

Today, 38% of Black-owned businesses account for areas in health care, beauty care, restaurant and hospitality services, maintenance repair, and social services. The growing uptake in entrepreneurship amongst Black Americans reveals that 77% of Black entrepreneurs decided upon independent businesses and ownership instead of purchasing an already established franchise.

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