Celebrating Black History in February and Beyond
Each February, National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and an important reminder that Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture, and Black stories are fundamental to understanding the ongoing story of America.
We hope our #BlackHistoryMonth social media series featuring Black-owned businesses, events and people who inspire us has been informative and motivating.
Nyhus acknowledges that this conversation is important to sustain beyond the month of February. One way you can keep the conversation going is by supporting local Black-owned businesses by making purchases, writing online reviews and recommending them to your networks. We have included a few local businesses below and, while this is not an exhaustive list, we encourage you to support these and others throughout the year.
Seattle Area Black-Owned Businesses
Boon Boona Cafe is an exclusively African Coffee Roaster based in Renton, Washington. They look to bring more added value in an equitable way to African Coffee Producers while providing a welcoming space for all in their Cafe. You can support them by visiting them in person or ordering their coffee online. They even have a new location across from Seattle University!
Jerk Shack’s owner and head chef, Trey Lamont, creates bold, authentic flavors, all while creating a warm atmosphere for his customers. The menu is inspired by Lamont’s Jamaican heritage, with a focus on made-from-scratch cooking using house-ground spices, smoked and fried to perfection.
Enjoy some soul food favorites like shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy and more, from Simply Soulful Cafe. This cottage café in Madison Valley’s central district will leave you stuffed, satisfied, and coming back for more.
Craving Caribbean? Allow Pam Jacob’s at Pam’s Kitchen Seattle to add some spice to your life with her authentic dishes like jerk chicken with curry and callaloo, a Caribbean stew that came to the islands in the seventeenth century from Africa. From the moment you step into this restaurant, you will feel the influences of West Indies cuisine.
Hip Hop is Green (HHIG) is a plant-based hip hop health and wellness movement providing life-changing programs to under-resourced, low-income urban youth and their families in areas of plant-based eating, organic gardening, fitness, food justice, and more through creative media and live events.
KD Hall is CEO and principal consultant of KD Hall communications, KD Hall helps leaders create, tell and manage their story, brand and reputation. When it comes to entrepreneurship, she says she is laser-focused on her clients, and comes in with the winning attitude of a professional athlete. She is also a master negotiator, which means she’s always seeking the win-win scenario.
Searching for authentic Ethiopian cuisine? Visit Kaffka Coffee and Wine Bar for organic Ethiopian coffee and healthy Ethiopian dishes. Support this immigrant-owned business and know that you are getting bona fide flavors made with care.
Communion: the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings. When you step into Communion Seattle you will not only feel comforted but like you’re a part of a community. They serve “Seattle Soul” cuisine here which is rooted in tradition with innovations based on experiences and influences from Seattle’s lush cultural landscape. Chef Kristi’s cooking style is the story of culture and the cross-pollination of neighboring communities.
