bws legacy

Throughout history, Black communities across the U.S. have built thriving business districts that embodied economic independence, self-determination, and collective success. These areas, known as Black Wall Streets, were hubs of Black excellence—home to entrepreneurs, professionals, and visionaries who defied systemic barriers to create wealth and opportunity.

From Greenwood in Tulsa to Sweet Auburn in Atlanta, these districts were beacons of Black economic power, only to be targeted by racial violence, urban renewal, and systemic disinvestment. Yet, their legacy endures. Today, communities are reclaiming and revitalizing these spaces, ensuring that Black economic empowerment remains at the heart of progress.

Honoring the past, building the present

Introduction: What is a Black Wall Street?

Black Wall Streets were once thriving hubs of Black economic excellence—self-sustaining communities where Black businesses, professionals, and families flourished despite segregation and systemic barriers. These districts represented Black resilience, economic independence, and self-determination.

The most famous of these was Greenwood District in Tulsa, OK, but Black Wall Streets existed in Durham, Atlanta, Chicago, Richmond, and beyond. Their stories reflect both great success and deliberate destruction through racial violence, urban renewal, and economic exclusion.

At BWS, we carry forward this legacy—not just by remembering, but by rebuilding.

The Rise of Black Wall Streets

How Black communities built economic power against all odds.

Greenwood District (Tulsa, OK) – The most well-known Black Wall Street, with over 600 businesses before the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Hayti (Durham, NC) – A Black business and banking hub, home to North Carolina Mutual, the largest Black-owned insurance company.
Sweet Auburn (Atlanta, GA) – A thriving center for Black entrepreneurship and civil rights activism.
Bronzeville (Chicago, IL) – A cultural and economic powerhouse, particularly during the Great Migration.
Jackson Ward (Richmond, VA) – Known as the “Harlem of the South,” this district was a financial epicenter for Black entrepreneurs.

The Fall: Destruction, Displacement, and Disinvestment

How systemic racism wiped out these thriving communities.

  • Racial Violence: Mobs destroyed Greenwood in 1921, killing 300+ Black residents and erasing generational wealth.
  • Urban Renewal: Highway construction and government projects in the 1950s-70s displaced thousands of Black families, cutting through business districts.
  • Redlining & Economic Exclusion: Black neighborhoods were systematically denied home loans and business funding, preventing regrowth.

Example: The construction of Highway 147 in Durham bulldozed the heart of Black Wall Street (Hayti), displacing thousands of Black-owned businesses and families.

The Legacy Lives On: Rebuilding Black Wall Streets Today

How communities are reclaiming Black economic power.

Despite destruction, black entrepreneurs, activists, and leaders continue to fight to restore Black Wall Street. BWS is part of this movement, using land ownership, homeownership, and economic development to rebuild wealth where it was stripped away.

How BWS Southeast Greensboro Honors This Legacy:

Revitalizing Black neighborhoods by renovating and preserving homes.
Increasing homeownership and economic empowerment for BIPOC communities.
Developing mixed-use projects like Windsor Hub & New Zion to create economic and cultural spaces.
Promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency through The Greene Initiative and environmental projects.
Engaging the community through the Porch Initiative to restore connections.