As part of National Black Business Month, the Office of Small Business Affairs (OSBA) is holding its first ever Pioneer Awards to celebrate and bring attention to those who laid the foundation for Black entrepreneurs. The ceremony will honor 12 people for their business and community achievements despite the challenges (such as segregation) they faced along the way. 

The luncheon is at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, August 30, at the Tubman African-American Museum (310 Cherry Street). The Pioneer Awards Luncheon is a private event, but the media is invited to come for the presentation and to interview some of those people being honored.  

“We’re proud to bring attention to those Black business owners who set up shops and blazed the trail for future generations,” says OSBA Director Charise Stephens. “Small businesses are the backbone of our city, and we want to celebrate those unsung heroes of our past so we can have a brighter future.”

This awards ceremony caps off several weeks of events to observe National Black Business Month which included free seminars for business owners, education for entrepreneurs, a proclamation from Mayor Lester Miller, and the development of a Small Business Guide.