Celebrating Black Entrepreneurs of America

At Snagajob, we celebrate small businesses every day.

People of all races, ethnicities and genders share an entrepreneurial spirit and drive that moves our country forward. People start small businesses that grow to become bigger businesses. It’s pretty awesome, if you ask us.

February is Black History Month. In honor of Black entrepreneurship, past and present, we’d like to showcase a few of the many Black business owners who have contributed to our thriving and resilient economy—and our way of life.

Anthony Johnson (c. 1600–c. 1670)

Black entrepreneurship in our country dates back centuries. In fact, there were Black-owned businesses before there officially was a United States of America. Anthony Johnson, born in Angola, came to the colonies as an indentured servant. He worked his way to freedom and purchased land, successfully operating his own farms in Virginia and Maryland. Along the way, he acquired considerable personal wealth.

Paul Cuffee (1759–1817)

A whaler and maritime trader, Paul Cuffee made the most of his opportunities in coastal Massachusetts. He started in the whaling business and went on to become an entrepreneur in the shipping industry. He was involved in boat building and made significant profits from ship trading as well.

Thomas Jennings (1791–1856)

As the first African American to receive a U.S. patent, Jennings holds an important distinction in Black history. He worked in the tailoring and cleaning services and is largely credited as being the inventor of dry cleaning. His innovations allowed people to keep soiled clothing items, as opposed to the standard practice of throwing them out. Jennings also contributed a large portion of his earnings to abolitionist causes.

Clara Brown (1803–1885)

Clara Brown gained her freedom from slavery at the age of 56. She’s believed to be Colorado’s first Black settler. Her entrepreneurship began in laundry services. She used her earnings to invest in mining prospects and became one of the most successful entrepreneurs during the Gold Rush era. She was also a respected philanthropist who set the example for future modern entrepreneurs to follow.

Madam C.J. Walker (1867–1919)

Born in Louisiana to emancipated slaves, Madame C.J. Walker, whose birth name was Sarah Breedlove, created a popular line of cosmetic and hair care products specifically for Black women. She’s considered to be the first Black female millionaire and used much of her wealth to support the arts, education and public works projects. 

Joan and George Johnson (Joan: 1929–2019, George: 1927–Present)

In 1954, husband-and-wife duo Joan and George Johnson founded Johnson Products, a hair and cosmetics company that catered to Black Americans. During the culture shift of the 1960s, its popular Afro Sheen product line helped people stylistically celebrate their black pride and African heritage. The Johnsons’ company became the first Black-owned business listed on the American Stock Exchange.

Warren H. Wheeler (1943–Present)

Warren Wheeler started his career as an aviator and used that experience in 1969 to found the first Black-owned-and-operated air service in the United States. He was the first airline owner to use government employment training programs to help unemployed and impoverished people of color break into the airline industry. In addition to being a mentor, he served as their employment negotiator with regional and national carriers.

Robert L. Johnson (1946–Present)

As the founder of the BET cable network, Robert Johnson helped bring Black points of view to televisions across America and beyond. BET debuted in 1980, a time when there was little Black representation on TV. In 2000, after two decades of success, Johnson sold the network for $3 billion, making him the first Black billionaire.

 Daymond John (1969–Present)

You may know Daymond John as that investor guy on ABC’s popular TV show Shark Tank. What you may not know is that he’s a co-founder of the hip-hop apparel company FUBU. From its humble beginnings as a small business operating out of John’s home in Queens, New York, FUBU grew into a global brand powerhouse. Today, John is the CEO and founder of the Shark Group, a brand management and consulting firm. 

Thanks to the innovation and tireless efforts of Black-owned small businesses and major companies, America is a richer, more interesting and more successful nation. And we’re proud to do our small part to help.