Jackson Ward Collective, 2022

Download Collections in the Classroom: Jackson Ward Collective (pdf)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• How do you learn about how to start a business? Where do you find help?
• How can a community support entreprenuers?

CONTEXT

The Jackson Ward Collective Foundation was formed in 2020 by three Black female entrepreneurs who saw a need in the Richmond community to foster more Black-owned businesses. The collective offers Black business owners a place to expand connections and share resources. Members represent a variety of industries such as food and beverage, health and wellness, retail, and real estate. Their name comes from the historic Black Jackson Ward neighborhood that in the early 20th century was known as “Black Wall Street,” representing a thriving area of Black-owned businesses in Richmond, Virginia. In the 1950s, the neighborhood was split in half by the construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (later I-95/I-64) that displaced around 900 families and ushered in the decline of many businesses. The Jackson Ward Collective Foundation is making an effort to revitalize Jackson Ward by supporting Black entrepreneurship around the city.