28 Days, 28 Legends: The Ultimate Guide to BuyBlack Moves Inspired by Black History (Sonny's February Spotlight)
February isn't just about heart-shaped chocolates and Valentine's Day cards. For us? It's about celebrating the icons who paved the way, and turning that celebration into real action that supports Black-owned businesses today.
Welcome to Sonny's February Spotlight, where we're doing something different this Black History Month. We're spotlighting 28 legends, one for each day of February, and connecting their stories to modern money moves that help you #BuyBlack in 2026.
Why We're Doing This (And Why It Matters)
Black History Month has always been about honoring the past. But here at The Black Wall Streets, we believe history should also guide our future, especially when it comes to where we spend our dollars.
Think about it: every legend we celebrate fought for economic freedom in some way. Whether they were literally building businesses during Jim Crow or using their platform to create opportunities for the next generation, they understood something fundamental: economic power is real power.
So this February, we're not just reading about history. We're making it, one intentional purchase at a time.
How This Series Works
Every day in February, we're dropping a new post featuring:
A Black History Legend – Their story, their struggle, their impact
The Modern Money Move – A specific way you can honor their legacy by supporting Black-owned businesses today
BuyBlack Action Items – Concrete steps you can take right now, with links to Black-owned brands you can support on blackwallstreets.store
Some days we'll spotlight civil rights icons. Other days? Entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, and inventors who changed the game. But every single day, we're connecting the dots between their legacy and your wallet.
What You Can Expect This Month
We're not going in chronological order, and we're not sticking to the "usual suspects" (though yes, you'll see some familiar names). Sonny, our CEO at Safe Way Community Travel, personally curated this list to include legends who directly influenced Black economic empowerment: even if their stories aren't always told that way.
The Entrepreneurs & Innovators
We're highlighting figures like Madam C.J. Walker, who became America's first female self-made millionaire by building a beauty empire for Black women. Her modern money move? Supporting Black-owned beauty and hair care brands that continue her legacy of creating products specifically for us.
Then there's Garrett Morgan, the inventor who created the traffic signal and the gas mask. His story reminds us that Black innovation has always been here: we just need to invest in Black-owned tech and product companies doing the same today.
The Culture Shifters
We're also spotlighting legends who used culture to shift economics. Think Langston Hughes, whose Harlem Renaissance work created opportunities for Black artists and writers. His modern money move connects to supporting Black-owned bookstores, publishers, and literary platforms today.
Or Katherine Johnson, whose mathematical genius at NASA proved that Black excellence belongs everywhere: including STEM fields. Her legacy lives on when we support Black-owned educational resources and tech companies.
The Freedom Fighters Who Built Economic Power
Some of our featured legends were freedom fighters who understood that civil rights and economic rights go hand-in-hand. Rosa Parks didn't just refuse to give up her seat: she helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the most successful economic protests in American history.
Her modern money move? Understanding that where you spend your money is a form of protest and power. Every time you choose a Black-owned business, you're casting a vote for economic justice.
The Real Impact of Buying Black
Here's something most people don't know: when you spend $100 at a Black-owned business, about $40 of that stays circulating in the Black community. When you spend that same $100 at a non-Black business, only about $3 stays in our community.
That's not just a statistic: that's the difference between building generational wealth and watching our dollars disappear out of our neighborhoods.
The legends we're celebrating this month knew this. They built businesses, created jobs, and reinvested in their communities because they understood: economic self-sufficiency is freedom.
How to Make the Most of This Series
Here's how to get the full experience this February:
1. Follow Along Daily
We're posting every single day in February. Set a reminder, bookmark our blog, do whatever you need to do: because each post is dropping real gems you won't want to miss.
2. Take Action Immediately
Each post includes specific BuyBlack action items. Don't just read and scroll. Click the links. Explore the Black-owned brands we feature. Make a purchase. Even a small one counts.
3. Share the Knowledge
Drop these posts in your group chats. Share them on social media. Forward them to your family. The more people who see these stories and take action, the bigger our collective impact.
4. Build Your BuyBlack Habit
Use this month as a launching pad. By the end of February, you should have a solid list of Black-owned businesses you can support year-round. That's the real win.
Your February Challenge
We're issuing a challenge: commit to making at least one intentional BuyBlack purchase per week throughout February. That's just four purchases: four times you're choosing to put your money where your values are.
Not sure where to start? Head to blackwallstreets.store and explore by category. Whether you need jewelry and accessories, home goods, beauty products, or something else entirely: we've got Black-owned businesses ready to serve you.
This Isn't Just History: It's a Movement
The legends we're spotlighting this month didn't just make history: they made moves. They built. They invested. They created pathways for us to walk through today.
Our job? Honor them by doing the same.
Every dollar you spend at a Black-owned business is a brick in the foundation we're building. Every time you choose to #BuyBlack, you're continuing the work they started. Every intentional purchase is an act of resistance, remembrance, and revolution.
So buckle up. This February is about to be different.
We're learning history. We're making moves. And we're building economic power: 28 days, 28 legends, one purchase at a time.
Day 1 drops tomorrow. Don't miss it.
Want to stay connected? Explore all our featured Black-owned businesses at blackwallstreets.store and start your BuyBlack journey today.
Because the best way to honor the past? Build a better future.
