Last year I wrote an extensive list of 101 Independent Black Owned Businesses to support for Blackout Friday. It proved to be amongst the most popular posts I’ve ever written. In 2014, I wrote that post in response to the Blackout Friday movement that arose from protests in Ferguson, Missouri. This year I had already planned to work on this list again and refresh it for Black Friday 2015, but I didn’t realize how terribly timely this whole thing would become. This year the protests took place in my own city of Chicago, in response to the Laquan McDonald tapes, which revealed a young man shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke. This murder happened on Oct. 20, 2014. Finally after multiple Freedom of Information Act requests, the chilling and horrific video was released 13 months after the fact. There has been unrest in the streets of Chicago ever since. On Black Friday, activists took to the Magnificent Mile and blocked access to shops in an act of peaceful protest. Many are looking for a way to make a statement that will be heard, and this holiday season feels so much like last year’s, except closer to home.

I’ve been seeing a lot of really negative comments online, making false equivalency between horrific acts of gang violence versus the protests against police brutality. This post isn’t about that, but I’d like to address the topic for a moment. Just because you haven’t done research or become aware of protests against crime within the black community, doesn’t mean those protests didn’t happen. This officer was charged with murder, but only after 13 months of fighting for information. The protests yesterday were not only for the fact that Laquan McDonald was murdered by an officer who faced 20 complaints and lawsuits alleging excessive force and use of racial slurs, but for the fact that there appears to have been a 13-month-long coverup of this crime.

To quote myself from almost exactly a year ago, “…so many of us are now left wondering “now what?” How can we express this rage and this pain caused by a system that is broken, a system that fails to value our lives as equal? How can we speak truth to power and have the hope of making some kind of difference, some kind of essential statement that proves that we have value greater than what society seems to perceive?” The intent behind the protests is to make our voices heard and to make the statement that we deserve better from those who are paid to serve and protect. We deserve better from our elected officials who are complicit in this cover up. Blackout Friday is a way to make that statement. That is the intent. I’m hoping and praying that next year this list won’t be created in the wake of protests and anger over injustice.

I’ve gotten some pushback on even creating this list and I’d like to say a few things before sharing. Anyone and everyone is welcome to shop from this list and support small businesses – today is actually Small Business Saturday and these are businesses that sincerely need publicity and financial support. Last year I saw some criticism that this list only focused on hair and beauty and fashion – I’ve expanded to include artists, authors, and professional services. If you’re the creator of a black owned business and would like to be included, I encourage you to leave your site and a brief description of your services in the comments below. If any of these links don’t work, please let me know – I did my best under challenging circumstances.

PS: On a personal note, I really wanted to get this list out earlier but this Thanksgiving weekend, life took me in a different direction. I’m writing to you from Phoenix where we are visiting for the funeral of a relative. Apologies that this is out later than intended.

350+ Independent Black Owned Businesses to Support This Holiday Season and BEYOND

ACCESSORIES

Adore New York

Barbara Campbell NYC

Boutique de Bandeaux

Cocoa Girl in Lush

Collage Gifts

Colored Girls Hustle

Coup de Coeur Boutique

Custom Treatz

Dope Crochet

Fashion 5 Diva Club

Gabby Bows

Keep on Givin

Kiara’s Handmade

Ladieloops

Lady Dye Yarns

Left Hook Accessories

Lily Bow Originals

Lyse Artistic Creations

Martinique Boutique

My Fabulous Accessories

Nicole Lee Designs

Paparazzi Accessories

Purl Heroine

Rogue Stitches

Sankofa Vine

Sew Regal Embroidery

Shepiji

The Knitterly Hooker

THRONEsj

Waists by Wednesday

ART, Collectibles, Tech, Photography & Décor

Abode by Yvette

Addye B

African American Art

Amaspiritartist accessories and décor

Ananse Design

Avery and Ethan

Beginning Kisses

Bianca Dorsey, artist

Blended Designs

C Miles Photo

Christoff Davis

Detola and Geek décor and accessories

Diaz Allen

Divine Violette – cool masquerade masks

I am Me Naturally

Indigo Life Magazine

Karmalades, household cleaners

Lavender Pop greeting cards

Made In Africa

Mae B Paper

My Focsi tees and accessories

My Little Vixen

Ngozi Design

Noteworthy Crafts

Pan African Connection

Pardon My Fro

Puku phone chargers

Recycle Dean

Red Bridge Studio, unique tees and home items

Red Ink and Paper

Reflektion Design

Restoration Healing

Rose Refour, an artist with autism

Sumayyah Said So accessories

Sweet Sistah Splash

Tamesha Artistry

The Silverman

Valencia Art

Veronica Marche Illustration and Design

Whitney Thomas, Photographer

Yvette Crocker Art

AUTHORS

Artistic Words Publishing

Author Anagia Wright

Brandon Massey, horror writer

Nalo Hopkinson, Caribbean sci-fi author

Sormag

Tananarive Due, literary author

BEAUTY BOXES/SUBSCRIPTIONS

Cocotique

Curl Collection

CurlBox

CurlKit

The Holbox

We Are Onyx

CANDLES

Simply Scents by Shan

Spa Creations

FASHION

A Leap of Style

African American Tees

African City Bags

Artistic Tee

Bartered Threads

Black Proverbs

Blue Labels

Bon Bon Vie

Borough Vintage

Capital City

Cherish Au Naturel

Chic Dream

Chocolate Sushi Couture

Clothe Create Consult

Dare To Be You

Designs by K. Jones

Dress Maker By Olivia

Executees

Get Snatched Bling

Global Couture

HBCU Pride and Joy

His Blessed One

INI Vibes

Jacque M

Jahzara Fashion House

Jibri

Jon Marc Collection

KAntoinette Lingerie

LFTHVY

LiLi Creations

Live At Your Own Pace

Loud Ego Apparel

Love Karidae

Luke Lulu

Majority Clothing

Mamie Ansah, custom sneakers

Marriage Tees

Mercantile Republic

Monif C

My Boutique Experience

My Co-Creations (body butters, tees and more)

Nakimuli

Nicole and Madeline

Onion

Perfect Haze

Pnk Elephant

Pop ATL

Qristyl Frazier Designs

Quelly Rue

Ripped Goddess Sportswear

Sanjules

Seven Curves

Shavonne Dorsey

Shop Club Glam

Shop Malcolm X

Shop Musichead

Sofistafunk

Sororitique

Tees in the Trap

The Black Girl Project

The Dyna Smiles

The Icon Collection

Un-U Luxe

Vanity Styles

Ven and Rose

Wild Child Designs

Windsor Neckwear

Yes Lioness

Z by Zevarra

GOURMET FOODS

Brandt’s Candies Hand-Dipped Chocolates

Indigene Cellars

Love Corkscrew

Luxe Lollipops

Sugar Puddin Café

Tranquil Elegance

JEWELRY

Ama Jewelry

Beads Byaree

Brassfly Studio

CandidArt Accessories

Chari’s Inspiring Creations

Chocolate Rose

DeeCee Styles

Delayla Shay

Elizabeth In Pearls

Fulaba

Iris Michael

JazJewelz

JL by Janet Leigh

Jon Davi

Jypsea Outlet Shop

Kawaii Adornments

Kissed by a King jewelry

Lingua Nigra

Lorraine West Jewelry

Lost Queens

Lunar Eclectic

Mary’s Hands Jewelry

MBellish by Charmega

Mommy’s Chocolate Chip

Peace Images Jewelry

Pieces by Keke

Precious Elements Designs

Rachel Stewart Jewelry

Rock Candy Earrings

Shanga Designs

Simone’s Boutique

Sydney Austin Designs

Tahm Tam

The Queen’s Dowry

Tsion Rocks Jewelry

TYBC Creations

Zoe the Designer

MAKEUP & NAIL POLISH

Ashunta Sheriff Cosmetics

AJ Crimson

AUSET

Black Opal

BlackUP Cosmetics

Fashion Fair Cosmetics

Ginger + Liz

Hue Noire

Iman Cosmetics

Joy Lorraine Cosmetics

Lamik Beauty

Laws of Nature Cosmetics

Luv Mineral Cosmetics

Magnolia Makeup

Mischo Beauty

Polish and Company

Shoo 5-Free Nail Polish

The Lip Bar

Valana Minerals

Vera Moore Cosmetics

MUSIC

4 Givn 1 Records

Dom Jones Music

NATURAL HAIR

Alikay Naturals

All Things Curly

Allies Natural Hair Community

Amazing Botanicals

Anita Grant

Bask and Bloom

BeeMine Products

Cassandre Beccai

Coco Curls

CR Secrets

Curl Luxe Naturals

Curls

Da Hair Doctor

Earth’s Nectar

EDEN BodyWorks

Hairitage Hydration

Hairizon Beauty

Hairobics

Huetiful

Inspired Beauty

Jane Carter Solution

Karen’s Body Beautiful

Kinky Curly

Koils By Nature –

Kurlee Belle

Lawrence Ray Concepts

Morning Dew Hair

My Crowning Jewel

My Honeychild

My Loux

My Sisters Natural

Natural Hair Shop

Naturalicious

Naturalista Cosmetics

NBI All Natural

NUMA by Kiyomi

Oyin Handmade

Qhemet Biologics

Rock That Natural

Rootspiration –

Salon Toujours Belle

Shea Moisture

Sienna Naturals

Sophia’s Naturals

Soultanicals

Sunny Isle JBCO

Terra Veda Organix

TGIN (Thank God I’m Natural)

The Detangle Brush

Tiffany Renee Salon

TreLuxe

Tropic Isle Living

Uncle Funky’s Daughter

UrbanBella

WonderCurl

Zuresh –

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Barbee Love Fitness, personal trainer

BLK Town, Connecting with Local and Online Black Owned Businesses

Choice Green NYC Handyman Service

Degrees of Success, debt management company

Different Shades of Blackness event planning

Divine Health Choices, health consultant

Gravity Defied Black Cultural University

IBC Consults, consultation boutique

Makeda Renee, Visual Merchandising

Medical Lab and Tech Consultants

Michelle Lewis, MetroBrokers

ML Perry CPA

New Life Pastoral Counseling

Owens Financial Services

Physical Vitality, health and wellness training

Practical Reinventions –

Qi To Wellness, reiki

Taffy Wagner, premarital financial counseling

Tasha Prescott photography

The K9 Class, animal training

Women Businesses, consulting and tees

SKINCARE, BATH AND BODY FOR WOMEN

3 Little Birds

Amina Aromas

Asili Body Products

azur soleil organics

Beautiful Body Butters

Belle Scents

BelleButters

Body Butter Lady

Body By India

Body Love Beauty

Bubble Bistro

Butter Me Up Goods

Butters N Bars

Cara B Naturally

Charm City Bar and Body

Darcy’s Botanicals

Darien Direct

DermHa

Dirty Beauty

Earth Basic

Emily Jayne

Glam Girl Essential Skincare

HK Natural Soap

I Willa Remedy

Indigofera

Itiba Beauty

Ixora Botanical Beauty

JD NatLady

LaBella Body Care

Law Body Oils and Sprays

Mamie’s Sweet Treats

Mango Mangoes

Moonchild Essentials

Nandi’s Naturals

Naptural Passions

Natural Passion

Nubia Body Delights

Nubian Heritage

Nyah Beauty

Obsidian Beauty Supply

One Love Star Shea Butter

Pooka Pure and Simple

Royal By Nature

Ruth & Mae’s

S Dot Beauty

Shop Lady Leslie

Skin Deep Body Care

Smell Good Spa

So Yummy Products

Soap 2 Tote

Sophia’s Naturals

Sugamommy

Sweet Love Naturals

Sweet Treats by Oraje

Tasha Hussey Body

The Keith Clark Collection

The Natural Epiphany Store

Whipped Goods

Zuri Handmade

SKINCARE FOR MEN

Bevel

Luxe Pour Homme by G

Walker and Company

FOR KIDS

ABC Me Flash Cards

Bino and Fino

Dollmakers Delight



There are voids in this list. I’d love to see more black-owned tech and toy companies represented. Shoe designers. Tech purveyors. If you’re the creator of a black owned business and would like to be included, I encourage you to leave your site and a brief description of your services in the comments below. I hope this list is helpful to you and that these businesses can thrive thanks to your support. And like I said last year right around this time, “Although this week may make you question so many things, never question that we have much to be thankful for. Be thankful for life. For health. For family. For friends. For community. For the future, when we can make the change that we want to see in the world.” Peace.