This is the fifth annual observance of a culturally-responsive campaign to increase employment and sales among the more than 1 million African-American owned companies in the United States and to foster trade with black-owned firms throughout the Diaspora on the African continent, the Caribbean and Europe.
Based on the findings of the annual State of Black Business report, National Black Business Month events encourage policy makers to take concrete steps to make their jurisdictions more attractive to black business owners by increasing
         -- access to capital
         -- promotion of heritage tourism
         -- public and private procurement
         -- use of cutting edge technologies
         -- educational and training opportunities
         -- the exposure of black entrepreneurs
We suggest 31 different ways to support black business on each of the 31 days of August.
To organize events in your state, get your copy of Trouble in the Air: State of Black Business 2008 which includes organizing guides.  Call for more information 415-240-3537  or email us.

Connecticut black entrepreneurship

Connecticut had 10,363 black self-employed in 2004, 5.49 percent of wage and salary earners, according to the Social Security Administration. In contrast, 13.12 percent of whites are self-employed. To reach parity, another 14,399 blacks would have to start firms to reach a level of 24,762.
There is a pool of 16,186 black men and 22,430 African-American women who hold managerial and professional jobs in Connecticut in 2006, according to the American Community Survey.
Black aggregate income in Connecticut in 2006 was $6.5 billion with a median income for earners of $26,449.