The Boston City Council designated August as Black Business Month on Aug. 29 with hopes of increasing visibility for Black-owned businesses and advancing racial and economic equity. “The Council encourages residents, institutions, and partners to support Black-owned businesses by shopping locally, dining out, investing, and raising awareness throughout the month and beyond,” according to a newsletter from the City of Boston.
Massachusetts is home to roughly 545,000 white-owned businesses and 50,000 Black-owned businesses, according to a 2023 report from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy.
In 2022, Black-owned businesses made up 5.4% of all privately owned businesses in Boston, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey.
“I hope that small businesses, especially Black small businesses, know that the city is here to support them as they start, as they grow, as they develop,” said Aliesha Porcena, director of small businesses for the City of Boston. “I hope that one day opening a Black-owned business becomes the norm.”