,,iv  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #ffg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,augu/ #bi1 #bjbc,ms4 
,crockett 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4 
,?ompson ( ,mississippi1 ,mr4 ,c>son1   
,mr4 ,mull91 ,mrs4 ,watson ,coleman1    
,mr4 ,l&sman1 ,mr4 ,?an$>1 ,mr4         
,mc,garvey1 ,ms4 ,sewell1 ,ms4 ,lee (   
,cali=nia1 ,mr4 ,gre5 ( ,texas1 ,mr4    
,jackson ( ,ill9ois1 ,ms4 ,br[n1 ,mr4   
,payne1 ,ms4 ,pressley1 ,ms4 ,plaskett1 
,ms4 ,williams ( ,georgia1 ,ms4         
,mc,clellan1 ,ms4 ,kamlag]-,dove1 & ,mr4
 ,mfume7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2  
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy &
 ,comm]ce  ,,resolution  ,express+      
support = ! designation ( ,augu/ z      
,national ,black ,bus9ess ,mon? & to    
honor ! contributions ( ,black-own$     
bus9esses across ! ,unit$ ,/ates4       
,:]eas bus9esses s]ve z "o ( ! ma9      
driv]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates economy & are  
crucial to ! ov]all success ( ! c\ntry2 
,:]eas ,black-own$ bus9esses h play$ an 
in/rum5tal role 9 advanc+               

,african-,am]icans' /atus & promot+     
,black culture ?r\gh\t hi/ory2 ,:]eas   
,african ,am]icans f\nd$ & develop$ !   
,gre5wood ,di/rict ( ,tulsa1 ,oklahoma1 
also kn[n z ,black ,wall ,/reet1 9 !    
e>ly #aijjs to direct rev5ue into _! own
 community to ensure economic /ability  
due to racial discrim9ation at t "t2    
,:]eas ,black ,wall ,/reet 0 consid]$ "o
 ( ! weal?ie/ ,black communities 9 !    
,unit$ ,/ates ) ,black-own$ bus9esses   
su* z b>b] %ops & salons1 clo?+ /ores1  
jewel]s1 re/aurants1 !at]s1 groc]y      
/ores1 & m$ical legal (fices1 until !   
,tulsa ,race ,massacre ( #aiba2 ,:]eas1 
9 ! #aicjs to #aifjs1 ,! ,negro ,motori/
 ,gre5 ,book 0 di/ribut$ across ! ,unit$
 ,/ates t highlight$1 among o!r ?+s1    
,black-own$ bus9esses 9 ord] to enable  
,black travel]s to f9d lodg+s1          
bus9esses1 & gas /ations amid/          
segregation2 ,:]eas rec5t significant   
/rides h be5 made reg>d+ ! gr[? (       
,black-own$ bus9esses 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2
 ,:]eas1 9 #aiga1 ,johnson ,products    

,company1 :i* sold hair c>e & cosmetic  
products = ,black consum]s1 became !    
fir/ ,black-own$ company to trade on !  
,am]ican ,/ock ,ex*ange2 ,:]eas1 9      
#aiia1 ! ,black ,ent]ta9m5t ,television1
 or ,,bet1 became ! fir/ ,black-own$    
company to be trad$ on ! ,new ,york     
,/ock ,ex*ange2 ,:]eas ! l>ge/ indu/ry  
areas = ,black-own$ bus9esses are 9 !   
areas ( heal? c>e1 social assi/ance1    
retail trade1 transportation1 w>eh\s+1  
accommodations1 & food s]vices2 ,:]eas1 
f #bjag to #bjbj1 ! numb] ( ,black-own$ 
bus9esses across ! c\ntry increas$ by   
ov] #ac p]c5t1 an am\nt l>g] ?an ov]all 
bus9esses gr[?1 :i* increas$ by less ?an
 #a p]c5t ov] ! same p]iod2 ,:]eas1 9   
#bjbj1 ,black bus9ess own]s employ$     
#a4cba million p1 & creat$ #dh1edi new  
jobs1 add+ an additional #a4g billion 9 
aggregate payroll to ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
economy2 ,:]eas r\ghly #ch p]c5t ( all  
,black-own$ bus9esses 7 woman-own$ 9    
#bjbj2 ,:]eas ,black-wom5-own$ bus9esses
 repres5t ! fa/e/ gr[+ gr\p (           

entrepr5eurs to come out ( ! p&emic2    
,:]eas r\ghly #fg p]c5t (               
,black-wom5-own$ bus9esses are ! own]'s 
prim>y s\rce ( income2 ,:]eas1 9 ,may   
#bjbc1 r\ghly #c1dee1jjj bus9esses 7    
,black-own$ 7repres5t+ approximately    
#ab4g p]c5t ( ! total bus9esses71 )     
receipts ( #hc4f billion2 ,:]eas today  
!re are hundr$s ( ,black ,*amb]s (      
,comm]ce e/abli%$ across cities 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 despite ! gr[? & 
impact ( ,black-own$ bus9esses on !     
,unit$ ,/ates economy1 ,black bus9ess   
own]s & entrepr5eurs cont9ue to face    
sub/antial b>ri]s1 su* z f9anc+ & access
 to capital1 t limit _! ability to exp& 
_! bus9esses & lev]age new              
entrepr5eurial opportunities2 ,:]eas    
,black-own$ bus9esses are m likely to be
 d5i$ loans & are m likely to pay high] 
int]e/ rates ?an non-m9ority bus9esses2 
,:]eas ,black-own$ bus9esses are        
hi/orically small] 9 size & scale to _! 
non-m9ority bus9ess c\nt]p>ts2 ,:]eas   
indu/ries & associations h rec5tly put  

=? r5ew$ ef=ts advocat+ = consum]s to   
inve/ 91 & buy f1 ,black-own$ bus9esses 
ov] ! la/ #c ye>s2 & ,:]eas ,congress   
p]man5tly e/abli%$ ! ,m9ority ,bus9ess  
,developm5t ,ag5cy )9 ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,comm]ce z a "p ( ! ,bip>tisan          
,infra/ructure ,inve/m5t & ,jobs ,act ( 
#bjba to promote ! gr[? & competitiv5ess
 ( m9ority-own$ bus9esses3 ,n[1 !re=e1  
be x ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7
 celebrates ! "w ( ,black-own$ bus9esses
 & _! employees = _! a*ievem5ts &       
advancem5ts )9 ! community2  7#b7       
recognizes t ,black-own$ bus9esses      
cont9ue to face significant b>ri]s &    
*all5ges to =m+1 gr[+1 & exp&+ )9 !     
economy1 bo? at home & abroad2  7#c7    
ackn[l$ges t ,congress mu/ "w ) bus9ess 
& indu/ry lead]s1 & also :5 appropriate1
 executive bran* ag5cies1 to help exp&  
entry = ,black-own$ bus9esses into !    
m>ket2 &  7#d7 supports ! designation ( 
,national ,black ,bus9ess ,mon?4