Celebrate Black Business Year-round
We celebrate all Durham hospitality businesses catering to travelers and residents and always strive to spread our coverage out in a balanced way across the community. There are some important dynamics to understand about Black-owned businesses, though, that lead us to feature them intentionally and frequently — especially during Black History Month. Only 4.3% of the 22.2 million businesses in the U.S. are Black-owned, and during the pandemic, 41% of Black-owned businesses have shuttered, compared to 17% of white-owned companies. It’s our hope that Black-owned businesses in Durham will fare better than the national metrics, and that extra visibility and support will help us all contribute to making that true.
Inspired by Travel Noire's “How to Spend 48 Hours in Black-owned Durham, NC” article, we produced a video compilation of Black-owned businesses that will take you on a journey to some of our destination’s most popular spots. Book your stay at the charming Morehead Manor, owned by Daniel and Monica Edwards, and get ready for a weekend full of Black history, culture and excellence. Home to phenomenal Black chefs and restaurants, the video highlights spots like Boricua Soul, where you can enjoy delicious Caribbean and Southern fare, and Lula and Sadie's, a relatively new Southern eatery in the Durham Food Hall that offers a modern take on Southern cuisine. The video also has suggestions on places to visit, like the NCCU Art Museum, a vital teaching resource and cultural institution on the campus of North Carolina Central University. No matter what month of the year you plan to visit Durham, the recommendations hold true.
While the first video produced highlights some of today’s hospitality hotspots, there’s also plenty to learn about the preservation of the Hayti District and vestiges of the thriving Black middle class from that period. Discover Durham partnered with a freelancer to create a video highlighting the Hayti Heritage Center, which stands to advance the heritage and culture of historic Hayti and the African American experience. The video summarizes its mission and highlights programs that benefit the broader community. You can support the center by taking a class, visiting one of the exhibits, attending festivals or events, renting out their space for an event, or making a donation.
There is still much work to do to close the racial wealth gap by celebrating and supporting Durham's Black-owned businesses and establishments. It’s going to take much more than just one commemorative month a year to do so. Commit to supporting one a week, two a month, or however many you can, so long as you can consistently. We’ll be here with all the guides, resources, videos, Instagram stories, and directories you need for inspiration.
