Black Business Month in Evanston!

Visit local Black-owned businesses from August 1 - August 31

August is National Black Business Month! Join the Evanston Public Library as we highlight and support Black owned businesses in the community!  This program will run from August 1st-August 31st.

National Black Business Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions of Black-owned businesses to our economy and communities. It serves as a reminder of the resilience, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit within the Black business community. Throughout August, we honor the legacy of Black entrepreneurs and highlight their significant impact on innovation, job creation, and economic growth. This observance encourages support for Black-owned businesses through patronage, partnerships, and advocacy for equity and inclusion in the business world.

Here is how you can participate and support!

• Visit one of the two library locations to pick up a punch card of local Black-owned businesses. 
• Choose at least 5 of the participating businesses to visit in-person & the remaining 1 can be an online business.
• In order to get credit for visiting a business, you must make a purchase and get a stamp on your punch card OR ask staff a trivia question about the business and jot down the answer. 

Once your punch card is full, bring it back to a library location to be entered in a raffle for your chance to win either a $100 gift card, $75 gift card, or a $25 gift card to one of the participating businesses! 

This a great opportunity to learn more about all of the local Black-owned businesses in our community! 

Of course, we also recommend celebrating Black Business Month with kids' books!

Dr Jean Murphy, co-owner of Evanston's YoFresh Cafe, and beloved former professor at Chicago State University, Erikson Institute, and National Louis University, has graciously put together a recommended reads book list for younger kids to enjoy for National Black Business Month!

Check out our National Black Business Month booklist (3rd - 8th grade) to learn about great entrepreneurs and trailblazers, historical and current. Also, help your kids find out more about past and current black entrepreneurs with this article.

Upcoming events