African Americans have played a profound role in shaping the U.S. business landscape. Technological innovations like the traffic light, automatic elevator doors, and even caller ID all sprung from the minds of creative black luminaries.
To honor their business achievements this Black History Month, Forbes spoke to a number of founders, investors, activists, celebrities, and experts on the black diaspora. What emerged from these conversations was a rich, complex portrait of black entrepreneurship, one that highlights the black community’s tremendous creativity, as well as a resilience that was born, in part, out of hardship and necessity.
Black history is more than just a month. We encourage everyone to continue recognizing and learning about the contributions made by the black community.