Chicago launched Black Shop Friday to encourage citizens to shop at local Black-owned businesses the day after Thanksgiving.

“Supporting Chicago’s small businesses has been a priority of mine since even before taking office,” Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot said in a release. “This inspiring partnership allows Chicagoans to discover the hundreds of Black-owned businesses in our city, driving the investment dollars that are needed now more than ever, and giving everyone a chance to make this new shopping holiday a huge success.”

According to the 2019 State of Black Chicago report, Black-owned businesses in Illinois generate lower sales and have fewer employees than other businesses. The Black Shop Friday campaign was intended to support these businesses during the busiest shopping day of the year. Black Shop Friday has also launched a website that lists more than 500 Black-owned businesses in the city. It will be updated on an ongoing basis and gives consumers the ability to search by category and neighborhood to find the merchandise and gifts.

"We know that Black-owned businesses have less access to capital and other resources needed to be successful," Black Shop Friday President and CEO Karen Freeman-Wilson. "Black Shop Friday is an important campaign to raise awareness of these challenges, while also providing a mechanism for people who want to be intentional about supporting black businesses."