Once you go black you'll never go back.

Associated Press Excerpt: "Maggie and John Anderson of Chicago vowed four months ago that for one year, they would try to patronize only black-owned businesses. The "Empowerment Experiment" is the reason John had to suffer for hours with a stomach ache and Maggie no longer gets that brand-name lather when she washes her hair. A grocery trip is a 14-mile odyssey.

"We kind of enjoy the sacrifice because we get to make the point ... but I am going without stuff and I am frustrated on a daily basis," Maggie Anderson said. "It's like, my people have been here 400 years and we don't even have a Walgreens to show for it."

So far, the Andersons have spent hundreds of dollars with black businesses from grocery stores to dry cleaners. But the couple still hasn't found a mortgage lender, home security system vendor or toy store. Nonetheless, they're hoping to expand the endeavor beyond their Chicago home.

Plans are under way to track spending among supporters nationwide and build a national database of quality black businesses. The first affiliate chapter has been launched in Atlanta, and the couple has established a foundation to raise funds for black businesses and an annual convention.

"We have the real power to do something, to use the money we spend every day to solve our problems," Maggie Anderson said recently at a meet-and-greet in Atlanta. "We have to believe that black businesses are just as good as everybody else's."

Now, the Andersons are following up with 4,000 people who signed up for the experiment on their Web site to gauge their commitment and set up online accounts to track their spending. Hundreds have also joined the experiment's Facebook page, Maggie Anderson said.
Gregory Price, chairman of the economics department at Morehouse College, said black visionaries like Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey made similar calls to action.

"The idea is a sound one, given that black Americans are still underrepresented in the ranks of the self-employed and that entrepreneurship is a key component to wealth," Price said.
There are one million black businesses in the United States accounting for more than $100 billion in annual sales, according to the National Black Chamber of Commerce. The latest U.S. Census numbers report that blacks have more than $800 billion in expendable income each year.
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Of course, if this were a bunch of whites trying to patronize white owned businesses the cry of racism from the left would be deafening.

Maggie Anderson's comment that "It's like my people have been here 400 years and we don't even have a Walgreens to show for it" shows just how ignorant Maggie is. Had blacks not decided to sell themselves out to the party of Nathan Bedford Forrest there would be considerably more wealthy blacks than we have today since segregation meant black business owners had a captive audience. (Historical note: Although Forrest has been associated with the KKK, no actual link was ever established. He did own and trade in slaves, but advocated reconciliation after the war. It is likely, however, that he did in fact have some klan involvement.)

After the Civil War, blacks amassed a considerable fortune due to segregation and they began to enjoy political clout as well. This was too much for the racist democrats to tolerate and so, a deal was more or less struck whereby blacks would vote democrat and the democratic party would "take care" of the blacks. Sure looks like that deal worked out well. (current President excepted)

During reconstruction, blacks had taken control of several southern state legislatures. (Mississippi and South Carolina) In 1870, Hiram Revels became the first black member of the Senate and also in 1870 Joseph Rainey became the first black member of the House of Representatives.

There were many black businesses that developed during reconstruction, from barber shops and insurance companies to hotels, restaurants and newspapers. White racist democrats were starting to get pissed that blacks were gaining so much clout. They had to put a stop to it. How? Desegregation was the easiest answer. As soon as blacks could start patronizing white owned businesses, many black owned businesses closed up and as the money dried up so did black political clout. Blacks apparently have yet to figure out how bad they have been chumped by the democrats, but one can hope that one day they can see the light.

On a personal level, I have no problem with limited segregation as it does tend to keep money within certain communities and it can spread the wealth around. The American Asian community is pretty tight and I really do not have a problem with that, nor do I have any particular issue with the Hispanic community. The key is moderation. As long as folks can have the opportunity to shop at desegregated stores within a given community then there should be no major issue with a few black only, white only, Hispanic only etc. business operating within the community.

Yeah, yeah, I know America is the big melting pot, but as long as we realize we ARE all Americans, a little segregation may not be all that bad...............as long as it doesn't get out of hand.