Black Business Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, Black-owned businesses account for more than 3 million companies in the United States with more than $72 billion in annual receipts and more than one million employees according to the U.S. Census Bureau; and

WHEREAS, according to the most recent data, Virginia holds a high national ranking as Black-owned businesses employ more than 2% of the Commonwealth’s workforce and have an average annual payroll of $437,000; and

WHEREAS, Black-owned businesses are essential to our flourishing communities and culture as they support families and provide careers to Virginians across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Virginia’s Black-owned businesses spur economic development and provide access to wealth-building resources for current and future generations of black families; and

WHEREAS, National Black Business Month was founded in 2004 as an initiative to recognize Black-owned businesses, highlight the vital contributions of Black-owned businesses to our country, and to encourage their continued development; and

WHEREAS, citizens of the Commonwealth are encouraged to explore, support, and learn more about our local Black businesses through organizations like the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce, and Black Brand (Hampton Roads Black Chamber), as well as the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. for national information; and

WHEREAS, citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia are impelled to support and invest in Black-owned businesses as they strengthen the Spirit of Virginia by contributing to making it the best place to live, work, and raise a family;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize August 2023, as BLACK BUSINESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations