Black Business Month: Atlanta leads nation with 10% ownership rate

ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council officially recognized August as Black Business Month, honoring the city's status as a leading national hub for Black-owned enterprises. Community leaders and local entrepreneurs highlight how decades of targeted support transformed the local economy into a Black Mecca. 

Atlanta Black business

What we know:

According to a February report from the Atlanta Regional Commission, 10.7% of all businesses in the Atlanta area are Black-owned. That percentage stands as the highest concentration within a major metropolitan area nationwide, far surpassing the national average of 3.4%. Across the city, more than 13,000 Black-owned firms operate locally, contributing to over 180,000 statewide throughout Georgia. 

Post 1 At-Large Councilmember Michael Julian Bond led an August proclamation recognizing the Atlanta Black Chambers and the Advancing Black Business Foundation. District 11 Councilmember Wayne Martin emphasized that every purchase and investment in these enterprises helps build Black wealth, strengthens families, and works toward closing the racial wealth gap. 

Local business roots

The backstory:

Local entrepreneurs often overcame steep financial barriers by leaning on community support. Willie Watkins, owner of Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home, started by borrowing money directly from community members when traditional banks refused to lend. Through local financial backing, Watkins expanded his business into a multimillion-dollar operation featuring four locations and its own crematory. 

Community members trace the modern economic trajectory back to 1974, when the late Mayor Maynard Jackson took office. Jackson mandated that 50% of city contracts go to minority-owned businesses, providing a major economic boost through large-scale developments like the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

Supporting community growth

What they're saying:

"One of the things that I find to be so uplifting in Atlanta is that everyone supports one another," said Dr. Andrew Williams, owner of VEA Eye Health Professionals. "There's a huge sense of community in Atlanta, which allows you to grow along with the businesses next to you." 

Representatives from the Advancing Black Business Foundation expressed hope that residents and visitors will patronize local Black-owned businesses continuously throughout the entire year, rather than limiting support solely to the month of August. 

City support details

What we don't know:

City officials have not specified any new municipal funding allocations or additional contract quota adjustments tied directly to the August proclamation.