February is Black History Month, a celebration of black culture and heritage that has been recognized in the United States by every President since 1976, and has since been celebrated by other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
It is also a great reminder to shop at black-owned businesses. There is an incredible number of businesses to support, catering to numerous different fields, but here are ten phenomenal standouts.
1. Marcus Books – Founded by Julian Richardson, Marcus Books is the nation’s largest black-owned bookstore. Marcus Books is also celebrating its 60th year and incredibly dedicated to literacy and education, especially in regards to black culture. The storefront is located in Oakland, California, but books can be shipped directly to you. Shop Marcus Books here.
2. Hope for Flowers – Launched in New York City in 1998, Tracy Reese has spent over twenty years dedicated to fashion. Tracy has designed for several star-studded clients such as Michelle Obama and Taylor Swift. Hope for Flowers also focuses incredibly on sustainability. You can find the clothing line here.
3. The Wrap Life – Created by Nnenna Stella, this business is dedicated to selling authentic head wraps, turbanettes, and bandies for hair. The website is adorned with numerous wraps with a very large assortment of colors. You can shop for hair wraps here.
4. rayo & honey – Roachele Negron turns quotes, literature phrases, and pop-culture references into beautiful pieces of home decor. Created in Brooklyn, New York, the business proudly hand-cuts canvas pennants and totes, as well as hand-paints a large array of items. You can find rayo & honey here.
5. The Mane Choice – Founded in 2012 by Courtney Adeleye, the business began as an at-home side job. Largely dedicated to black hair care, the business has grown exponentially in popularity and in stock, with now more than 100 different hair products and availability at 60,000 United States stores. Shop hair care from The Mane Choice here.
6. Black Girl Sunscreen – When founder Shontay Lundy found herself unable to find a sunscreen that would protect her skin without leaving a residue, she knew she had to be a part of the solution. She then created a 30 SPF sunscreen that does both of those things- protect and dry clear. You can find the sunscreen here.
7. Ivy’s Tea – Shanae Jones founded this business in the year 2016, with the hopes of including all cultures in the tea world. She finds hip-hop to be a very powerful force in pop culture and has thus included such in her tea business, in hopes of making herbalism more relatable. Find all tea products here.
8. PRISCA’S Art – Founder Angela is a self-taught designer who aims to tailor Afrocentric pieces into everyday life and fashion. She not only offers custom-tailored pieces and commissions, but also masks for coronavirus protection, accessories, and aprons. You can shop all things PRISCA here.
9. Culture Fit – This business was created in order to help women demonstrate their culture even in athletic wear. With a long list of products such as sports bras, tank tops, capris, leggings, and athletic mats, the business is incredibly influenced by their culture and proudly represent such. You can find their shop here.
10. Salt N Sprinkles – A woman and black-owned business, Salt N Sprinkles focuses on vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free desserts and sweets. They are also home cooked in a home kitchen, rather than factory produced, ensuring the utmost freshness. Orders can be placed nationwide, and are available for pick-up in the Los Angeles area. Sooth your sweet tooth here.