Martha’s Vineyard is known for attracting many Black tourists each year as it is a popular vacation spot for Blacks.
However, the plush and historic Massachusetts island is also becoming an important gathering spot for Black entrepreneurs, investors and financial firms, especially in August.
CNBC reports that companies including Disney, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, McDonald’s, Google, Ford, and McKinsey are organizing business-related events on the Vineyard this month.
RELATED STORIES
Interestingly, August is National Black Business Month, a time to highlight black-owned businesses and promote them nationwide.
Black-owned businesses contribute immensely to the U.S. economy, creating jobs, leading development in communities and supporting innovation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 2.6 million Black-owned businesses in the U.S., contributing billions of dollars to the economy.
As part of efforts to increase support and opportunities for Black businesses, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity will be hosting an event in Martha’s Vineyard this month. This event will feature notable congressional leaders and the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, it said in a release.
“This event will provide a unique opportunity to discuss the future of Black entrepreneurship, share insights, and foster connections that will drive economic empowerment and equity. We look forward to engaging with our community and continuing our mission to support and uplift Black-owned businesses,” it added in the release.
The Black Economic Alliance is also organizing an event called “The Gathering,” bringing together corporate leaders to find ways to get Black employees satisfied in their jobs.
“The Vineyard is a spot to capture an audience who wants to have an intellectual and financial conversation about how to uplift Black culture,” said Melissa Bradley, general partner of the BEA Venture Fund.
EBONY Magazine is also hosting an event with the founders of Black-owned spirit brand Uncle Nearest.
“For EBONY, being present on the Vineyard in August is both strategic and personal,” Eden Bridgeman Sklenar, CEO of the magazine, said in a statement. “It’s an opportunity to connect with a powerful cross-section of our community, deepen meaningful relationships, and position the brand not just as a cultural icon, but as a modern business driving impact, visibility, and growth.”
Martha’s Vineyard history
A very popular vacation spot thanks to its white-sand beaches, the Obamas have been frequent visitors to the island. During his eight-year tenure as president, Barack Obama and his family reportedly vacationed on the island annually, with 2012 being the only year they missed out. They also frequented the island when he was an Illinois senator.
With the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou and Harry Belafonte having vacationed on the island, Martha’s Vineyard, to date, is known for bringing in several Black tourists each year.
The reason for this annual vacation exodus dates back to the Jim Crow era, where Black vacationers, as a result of segregation, were prohibited from visiting popular beaches and hotels.
According to Genelle Levy in a feature on Narratively, the island, particularly the Oak Bluffs neighborhood, was one of the few places Black vacationers could visit during segregation. In 1912, the first hotel that allowed Black visitors — Shearer Cottage — was opened. Inkwell Beach, which is one of the most popular vacation spots, got its name in reference to the skin of the Black beachgoers, “which was said to glisten like ink in the hot sun.”
The area was also previously a place of abode for freed slaves in the mid-19th century after slavery had been abolished.
