By Dr. Frances Murphy Draper
AFRO Publisher and CEO
Black-owned businesses have always been a cornerstone of our communities—anchoring neighborhoods, creating jobs and proving that vision can thrive even in the face of economic headwinds. Last week, we celebrated companies across the country that have endured for a century or more, surviving depressions, recessions, and sweeping cultural change. They remind us that Black entrepreneurship is not a trend, but a tradition—rooted, resilient and essential.
In every corner of our community, business owners are working not only for themselves, but for the generations who will follow. With the right support, they can join the ranks of those centenarian success stories.
Consider Bando Combat Athletics. Founded and led by Lon Walls—a sixth-degree black belt in the Burmese martial art of Bando and a veteran communications professional—it’s more than a training center. It’s a place where discipline, focus, and confidence are taught alongside physical strength, preparing students to meet challenges far beyond the ring.
Or look to Noir Sunshine Wines and Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company, two of this region’s standout beverage creators, featured on a recent episode of “The Chicken Boxx,” the AFRO’s weekly multigenerational online podcast. Both bring craftsmanship, quality, and community pride to everything they produce.
Veteran-owned businesses also add a distinctive perspective. Marine veteran Nathaniel Batey helps run B’More Mojo in Owings Mills, serving up delicious hamburgers and other comfort foods with the same precision and pride he brought to military service. The Laundry Basket, founded by Army veteran Hyacinth Tucker, began in Maryland and now reaches Northern Virginia, Northeast Ohio, and even Toronto—proof that persistence opens doors far beyond state lines.
Fleurs d’Ave, of the same family that runs Wylie Funeral Homes, is known for its elegant floral designs and personal service, creating arrangements for life’s most meaningful occasions—from celebrations to solemn farewells.
Yet even the strongest ideas face steep odds. Nationally, only about 51.6 percent of new businesses survive five years; just 35.9 percent make it to year 10. For Black-owned businesses, the number of companies still in operation after 3.5 years is a sobering 4 percent. These figures reflect not a lack of talent or ambition, but structural barriers—limited access to capital, fewer networks and less visibility.
That’s why resources like those in Megan Sayles’s article, “Bridging the Funding Gap: Grants for Small Businesses,” matter so deeply. The Hustler’s MicroGrant and Just Thrive Program are among the tools helping entrepreneurs beat the odds.
To the aspiring entrepreneur: your idea matters. You are part of a tradition that has overcome far greater challenges. And to neighbors, customers and community leaders: your choices matter just as much.
Let’s act with intention—seek out Black-owned businesses locally and online– share their stories, spend where your values are and advocate for more public and private investment in Black vendors. Support ventures like Bando Combat Athletics, Noir Sunshine Wines, Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company, B’More Mojo, The Laundry Basket, Fleurs d’Ave, Postal Petals, and many more. And remember, sustaining Black businesses also means sustaining Black media outlets like the AFRO, which tell these stories, connect communities, and help keep history alive.
Because when we invest in each other, we all move forward—and our future gets stronger, together.