Grand Rapids Reporter

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently highlighted the important role of the state's black-owned businesses in innovation and job creation during Black Business Month, underlining her commitment to sustaining their accomplishments. 

"From innovation to job creation, Michigan’s black-owned businesses make invaluable contributions," Whitmer tweeted. "This month we take the opportunity to recognize and appreciate their impact and continue to champion their success. #BlackBusinessMonth"

August marks National Black Business Month, an occasion to highlight and celebrate locally-owned businesses in the West Michigan region, WOOD TV reported. Despite challenges faced by black-owned businesses across the nation, Grand Rapids is no exception. Nonetheless, numerous local black-owned enterprises are demonstrating resilience, aiming for achievement and serving as an inspiration for others to follow suit.

With over 400 black-owned businesses, Grand Rapids is home to a thriving entrepreneurial community. Over the past decade, Grand Rapids area black businesses have played a vital role in fostering the growth of black-owned businesses in West Michigan, contributing to economic development and business expansion, the report stated.

“From innovative, world-leading companies to small businesses that are the anchors of our communities, Michigan businesses have a huge impact on our state. Small businesses, specifically, make up about 98% of businesses in Michigan, employ half of our state’s workforce and grow the middle class,” Whitmer said, Fox News reported. “Because of entrepreneurs and small business owners in cities and towns across the state, Michigan’s unemployment is the lowest it has been in 23 years. During Buy Michigan Week, I encourage every Michigander to support local small businesses and take a little extra pride in Michigan-made products this week.”

In 2004, entrepreneur Frederick E. Jordan and John William Templeton of eAccess Corp initiated Black Business Month to address policy issues impacting African American businesses, aiming to empower and spotlight black business owners, considering the distinctive hurdles faced by minority entrepreneurs. The event's inception was inspired by Jordan's own challenges in securing financial support when establishing his engineering firm in San Francisco in 1969.