Buy Black: 6 Black Businesses You Should Support
What better time is there for the economic power of the Black community to take center stage than during Black History Month?
All year round.
Join us in shining a spotlight on the vibrant ecosystem of Black entrepreneurship, where innovation, creativity, and flavor meet. There's power in the Black dollar. Why not use it in support of our community?
Here are six Black businesses you can support this month and beyond.
The Spice Suite
Step into a world of flavor with The Spice Suite, a unique culinary wonderland brimming with specialty herbs, vibrant spices, and exquisite blends that promise to elevate your homemade dishes to new heights. Based in Washington, D.C., The Spice Suite is the brainchild of founder and D.C. native Angel Gregorio, who conceived the idea for the shop in 2015. In addition to selling unique blends of herbs and spices, customers can purchase food-inspired merchandise from the shop. The Spice Suite has also served as an incubator for other Black-owned businesses, hosting more than 2,300 free pop-up shops for Black owners.
BLK + GRN
If you're concerned about what lies inside the personal care products you buy for your body and home, then look no further than BLK + GRN. Founded by Dr. Kristian Edwards in 2017, BLK + GRN is an all-natural marketplace where customers can browse toxin-free products from skincare and hair care products like moisturizers, deodorant, and shampoo to home and wellness products including laundry detergent, vitamins, and tea. All of the products featured are crafted by Black artisans. Visit blkgrn.com to listen to past episodes of the BLK + GRN podcast where Edwards has interviewed Black women artisans working within the health and wellness space.
Charles Pan-Fried Chicken
Chef Charles Gabriel, owner of Charles Pan-Fried Chicken, has been serving up soul food in New York since 1990, but his culinary journey began much earlier. Gabriel, born in 1947 in Charlotte, N.C., grew up cooking in his mother's kitchen before leaving his hometown at age 17 for the Big Apple to work in his older brother's restaurant. Eventually, Gabriel would set out on his own path. From cooking out of his Harlem apartment to then running a food truck and now operating multiple locations, Gabriel has received notoriety for his cooking technique and is a James Beard-nominated chef. His restaurant has been spotlighted in several news outlets as well as in season 2, episode 2 of Netflix's "High On the Hog" docuseries.
Black Girl Sunscreen
If you've ever applied sunscreen only to find yourself covered in a milky white layer, then you feel our pain. Enter Black Girl Sunscreen. Crafted by founder Shontay Lundy, this sunscreen line was designed with women of color in mind. It absorbs without leaving behind the white residue generally found with traditional sunscreens — because who wants to look ashy when they go to the beach? Black Girl Sunscreen's Make It Hybrid SPF 50 sunscreen has a mineral and synthetic formula while the other sunscreen products are formulated with chemical filters, free of oxybenzone, octinoxate, and parabens. Some of the natural ingredients that can be found in Black Girl Sunscreen products include avocado oil, jojoba oil, cacao oil, carrot juice, and sunflower oil.
Reparations Club
Looking for a bookstore with a diverse range of titles by Black authors? Check out the offerings at Reparations Club (or Rep Club), a Los Angeles-based bookstore founded in 2019 by Jazzi McGilbert, a queer Black woman from South Central, LA. Since opening, Gilbert has partnered with Noname's Book Club, Well-Read Black Girl, and others. On rep.club, customers can browse selections from romance and sci-fi tales to memoirs and books adapted for film and television. These curated selections are meant to embrace and uplift Black and LGBTQIA+ stories and experiences. Customers can also find t-shirts, vinyl, and more available for sale.
BLCK Market
If you believe in building and maintaining a culture of support within the Black community then check out BLCK Market. Founded by J.O. Malone in July 2017, BLCK Market was established in an effort to advance Black wealth and foster economic empowerment and opportunities for aspiring Black entrepreneurs. BLCK Market provides a stage for small Black businesses and entrepreneurs to showcase their brands and products to customers who might not otherwise know of their existence. Products available online include clothing, body products, sunglasses, and more.
What are some of your favorite Black-owned businesses and brands? Share your picks with us by tagging @NAACP on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.