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:

Black Business Month

WHEREAS, Black-owned businesses account for more than 161,000 companies in the United States with more than $53 billion in annual payroll and over 1.4 million employees according to the U.S. Census Bureau; and

WHEREAS, according to the most recent data, Black-owned businesses employ more than 2% of the Commonwealth's workforce; and

WHEREAS, nearly 71,000 people are employed by over 6,200 Black-owned firms in Virginia and have an annual payroll exceeding $3 billion; 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 Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan Business League, 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 2024, as BLACK BUSINESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.