2016 To Do List: Build black businesses, support black businesses, and build up black communities
Greenwood, Oklahoma was known to be the wealthiest and most successful African-American communities in the United States’ history. Best recognized as “The Black Wall Street”. It consisted of 600 black-owned businesses, 21 churches, 21 restaurants,30 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters, 6 private airplanes, 1 hospital, 1 bank, and its own school system. It was affluent and growing until 1921, when racism and envy put a halt to the neighborhood’s growth. On August 12, 1921, a mass mob of whites bombed and destroyed the Greenwood community. The massacre killed 3,000 African-Americans, and destroyed majority of the businesses, schools and homes. Creating $2.3 million in damages. Whites did not want to see us successful, they wanted to see us dependent.
After the bombing, the survivors slowly rebuilt their community, but were unable to get it back to the condition it was previously. Ninety- Five years later, and African Americans are still trying to recreate this Black Wall Street. In 2007, the number of black business owners grew to 1.9 million. Although, this is a major accomplishment, there is still a lack of support from African-Americans. According to BlackDemographics.com, Black people own 7% of U.S. firm, .5% of all U.S earnings, and 1.9 % of U.S. employees.
Black owners have done their part on establishing their business, but it is our job as African Americans to help make sure it remains successful. We cannot keep supporting non-black businesses, and leave our businesses in failure. African-Americans are always known to buy, but never to own. We must change that and turn our words into actions. We are our own worst enemy. Stop buying and start saving. Make something of your own, and put your money back into the black community. It all starts with us. Nothing can change if we remain the same.
Our ancestors built this land with the help of other minorities, and it is our time to claim a piece of that success. We must not allow ourselves to just be the customer, but the boss. If we keep circulating our money into the white businesses, then we are basically handing our money over to the white community. Like J.Cole said, “Money control *blacks*, white man control money Laughing like “yeah yeah my blacks get your money”.
*J. Cole used the N word and I found that inappropriate to use in this article, so I changed the word.*
If you would like to support fellow black businesses, go to this website:
