WHEREAS, Black culture runs deep among Philadelphia’s historic sites, artistic havens, cultural offerings and in Philadelphia’s many Black-owned shops, restaurants, and other businesses; and
WHEREAS, These businesses are enjoyed by visitors to Philadelphia and its residents and provide local jobs, goods, services and amenities in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia, including historically disadvantaged communities; and
WHEREAS, Historical structural inequities and systemic racism have presented barriers for Black and Brown entrepreneurs and small business owners to open, operate, and grow; and
WHEREAS, Analysis from Drexel University found that while Black individuals make up 43% of the City population, only 5.4% of businesses operating within Philadelphia’s City limits are Black-owned; and
WHEREAS, A Pew analysis of Black business density in Philadelphia found an increase of 75 businesses per 1,000 Black residents, achieving the highest density total in decades; and
WHEREAS, Despite this local increase, Black business ownership has grown even faster nationwide resulting in Philadelphia’s total Black business density falling further behind the national level and among the lowest of our peer localities; and
WHEREAS, The Pew Research Center reports that while the number of Black-owned businesses is growing in the U.S., majority Black-owned firms accounted for only approximately 3% of all U.S. businesses classifiable by the race and ethnicity of their owners in the Census Bureau’s latest Annual Business Survey; and
WHEREAS, Not only are Black-and -Brown- owned businesses vital to the communities they serve, but those businesses bring in an estimated $211.8 billion in gross revenue nationally; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative to safeguard and grow Philadelphia’s existing Black-owned businesses through investing and supporting them individually as consumers and collectively as a City; and
WHEREAS, Visit Philadelphia, the tourism marketing organization, is kicking off the holiday season with dedicated marketing efforts to support the economic growth of local Black- and Brown-owned businesses including updates to web pieces on Black and other diverse-owned shops on visitphilly.com, paid social media ads about small, local shops, and dedicated photo/video content featuring small businesses throughout the holiday season; and
WHEREAS, The upcoming holiday season offers a chance to not only boost the local economy but also strengthen the fabric of Philadelphia's communities by supporting Black- and Brown-owned businesses; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia understands that promoting these small businesses is essential for their growth and success, which in turn contributes to job creation, increased revenue, and a thriving local economy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby declares each Friday in December 2025 as “Shop Black Business Friday” in the City of Philadelphia.
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