Entrepreneurship as Resistance: Black Agency and Economic Self-Determination in Segregated America

This panel examines the strategic entrepreneurial pursuits of African Americans from the 19th to mid-20th century as a means of achieving economic self-determination, resilience, and subtle resistance against oppressive societal structures. Through four case studies, we explore how Black entrepreneurs navigated the economic constraints and social hierarchies of their times to exercise agency, gain control over their livelihoods, and contribute to their communities. Dr. Nicholas Gaffney discusses Max Roach and Charles Mingus’s establishment of Debut Records in 1952, highlighting their efforts to control the jazz industry’s supply chain and overcome structural challenges in their quest for economic autonomy. Dr. Carolyn Davis focuses on Jesse B. Blayton Sr.’s 1949 acquisition and eventual sale of WERD Radio, the first Black-owned station, analyzing the complexities of community values versus economic pragmatism in his business decisions. Professor Heather Butina-Sutton uncovers the role of African American female street vendors in 19th-century Charleston as agents of survival, whose collective actions subtly defied the social order while sustaining Charleston’s food supply. Finally, Dr. Keith Hollingsworth, through a study of Mattie Adams, an early 20th-century Atlanta entrepreneur, emphasizes the resilience of Black-owned businesses and their owners, revealing how real estate and legal engagement enabled Adams to sustain her business despite racial violence. Together, these narratives provide a nuanced understanding of Black entrepreneurship as a transformative force within an exclusionary economy, offering historical perspectives that enrich contemporary discussions on Black economic agency and community-building.