The pandemic has been especially brutal for people of color who are getting sick and dying at disproportionate rates while also suffering more of the economic hardship. For Black-owned businesses in particular, decades of discrimination in lending practices have made them especially vulnerable to economic downturns. The mismanagement of the Paycheck Protection Program has left a lot of small businesses without federal relief dollars, and people of color are significantly less likely to have their PPP loan applications approved.
In these turbulent times of pandemics and protests, many Super Awesome People™ are wondering what they can do to help their Black friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans. A good starting point would be to read about—and support—these Fighters for Racial Justice activists, organizations, and nonprofits. And if you are white, pay extra attention to the resources in the section on How White Allies Can Help.
If you still have discretionary dollars to spend after donating to bail funds and racial justice organizations, consider also supporting Black-owned businesses in your community and around the country. Your dollars will help these businesses survive an extraordinary year of hardship.
Websites for Black-Owned Businesses
- Official Black Wall Street (officialblackwallstreet.com) is the “largest platform for Black businesses” and offers a web-based business directory as well as a mobile app.
- We Buy Black (webuyblack.com) is “more than a global marketplace for Black-owned businesses, we’re a movement to see social and economical justice globally.”
- Where U Came From (whereyoucamefrom.biz) has a web-based business directory for Black-owned businesses as well as a mobile app.
- Nile (thenilelist.com) is a “digital community that connects consumers with Black-owned brands online.”
- Shoppe Black (shoppeblack.us) is a Philadelphia-based company with curated “content related to Black business ownership and Black culture in the global diaspora,” including profiles of Black-owned businesses around the world.
- Black Business Search (blackbusinesssearch.com) is an online directory of Black business owners and professionals where you can search, compare, and connect with business professionals.
- The Black Business List (blackbusinesslist.com) has been “dedicated to helping minority business people start, maintain, and grow viable businesses” since 1997. Their directory includes discounts for members of the Black Business List.
- I Am Black Business (iamblackbusiness.com) is a platform for connecting with and promoting Black-owned businesses.
- Support Black Owned (supportblackowned.com) has a Black-owned business directory search by state, category, and keyword.
- iZania (izania.com) has a list of Black-owned businesses across America, including more than 100 business listings (each) in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Texas.
- Etsy lets you filter search results so you can find Etsy shops tagged as “Black owned shops”, “Black owned business”, and “Black owned jewelry”.
- Bon Appétit has gathered city-based links to Black-owned restaurant lists currently circulating the Internet.
- Glamour has published a list of Black-owned businesses across North America, including beauty, hair, and fashion companies.
- Marie Claire has published a list of Black-owned brands to support.
- Byrdie has a list of Black-owned makeup brands.
Mobile Apps for Finding Black-Owned Businesses
- Black Wallet (iOS and Android) lets users find Black businesses by location or product search. Users can also buy tickets and learn more about events hosted by, at, or for Black-owned businesses.
- EatOkra (iOS and Android) is an app-based guide to finding Black-owned restaurants and food trucks in major cities across the United States (including NYC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New Orleans, DC, Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, Austin, Memphis, Seattle—and more!
- Black Nation (iOS) is an app where you can “find or list your Black-owned business in the highest rated business discovery app” for businesses around the world.
- Official Black Wall Street (iOS and Android) is the “largest platform for Black businesses” and offers a web-based business directory as well as a mobile app.
- Where U Came From (iOS and Android) has a web-based business directory for Black-owned businesses as well as a mobile app.
City-Based Resources for Black-Owned Businesses
- Black People Eats (blackpeopleeats.com – Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Washington, D.C.) Black People Eats offers a directory of Black-owned food and beverage companies in six major American cities.
- Atlanta: Atlanta Eats has a list of 50 Outstanding Black-Owned Restaurants in Atlanta, updated to include their COVID-19 status.
- Austin: Austin Monthly has published a list of Black-owned shops and restaurants to support in the Austin community.
- Boston: Black Boston (blackboston.com) has a search directory of “one thousand Massachusetts certified minority-owned enterprises controlled by Black men and women from the BlackBoston.com website”.
- Charlotte: The Charlotte Observer has a list of 50 Black-owned shops, restaurants, and studios in Charlotte.
- Chicago: Black Owned Chicago (blackownedchicago.com) is a “resource for citizens of Chicago and tourists who desire to support Black-owned businesses within the Chicago city limits.”
- Chicago: Seasoned & Blessed (seasonedandblessed.com) A resource for Chicago’s Black Food Industry, including a list of Black- and brown-owned Chicago restaurants that are still open during COVID-19.
- Columbus: The Central Ohio African American Chamber of Commerce (coaacc.org) has a list of Black-owned businesses in Columbus, including business services, community resources, office supplies, photography, realty services, youth programs and more.
- Detroit: Visit Detroit has a list of local Black-owned businesses, including clothing, entertainment, spas, and boutiques.
- Minneapolis: Minneapolis Black Business Week has a directory of Black-owned Minneapolis businesses.
- Minneapolis and St. Paul: CityPages has published a list of Black-owned restaurants in the Twin Cities which have been open during the pandemic.
- Nashville: Urbaanite Nashville has a list of Black-owned businesses in Nashville, including apparel, art, and hair and beauty.
- New Orleans: NewOrleans.com has several directories dedicated to Black-owned businesses in the city, including restaurants, attractions, shops, accommodations, and tour companies.
- NYC: A Google Docs spreadsheet listing Black-owned restaurants and bars in all five boroughs of New York City.
- NYC: NYCity Black (nycityblack.com) has a mission “to provide the African-American community an online resource which will help promote the growth of Black-Owned businesses and community organizations, and encourage the support for African-American events.”
- NYC-Brooklyn: Black-Owned Brooklyn (blackownedbrooklyn.com) is a “curated guide to Black Brooklyn’s people, places, and products.”
- Philadelphia: Afro Philly (afrophilly.com) has a “mission to provide the African-American community an online resource which will help promote the growth of Black-Owned businesses and community organizations.” Visit their directory of Black businesses and organizations.
- Philadelphia: Visit Philadelphia has a list of 20 great Black-owned shops and boutiques in Philadelphia.
- Phoenix: Downtown Phoenix, Inc has a list of 10 Black-owned businesses to support in Downtown Phoenix.
- Portland: Mercatus has a directory of entrepreneurs of color from the Portland Metro area who identify as Black, African American, or African.
- Raleigh-Durham: WRAL has a list of Triangle area Black-owned businesses in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Cary.
- San Francisco Bay Area: A Google Docs spreadsheet listing Black-owned restaurants and pop-ups in the Bay Area.
- Seattle: A Google Docs spreadsheet listing Black-owned restaurants in Seattle.
- Washington Metropolitan Area: FeedtheMalik has a list of Black-owned restaurants in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia which have been open during the pandemic.
State-Based Resources for Black-Owned Businesses
- Maine: Black Owned Maine (blackownedmaine.com) has a directory of Black-owned businesses in Maine, organized by category, including barbershops, beauty supply stores, catering, cleaning services, grocery and convenience stores, lawyers, mechanics, restaurants, and salons.
- North Carolina: Black Dollar (blackdollar.ninja) is an “online rolodex of Black-owned or operated businesses—with a focus on those located in the state of North Carolina.”
And for the Canadians
- Afro Biz.ca (afrobiz.ca) is “the largest Black owned Business Directory in Canada and growing rapidly all over North America. AfroBiz.ca was created to support black owned businesses and black entrepreneurs.”
Black Lives Matter. And so do Black businesses.