(businessweek.com) “In some deeply empowering good news, the U.S. Census Bureau recently informed Americans that black-owned businesses are among the fastest-growing segments of the nation’s economyâ€â€Âup 45% from 1997 to 2002â€â€Âand that these businesses currently generate a healthy $89 billion in revenue, up 25% over the same period. And while the geography of this trend shows no surprisesâ€â€ÂAfrican-American businesses tend to be concentrated in cities such as New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Chicagoâ€â€Âit’s instructive to look a little beneath the surface.

…t’s thrilling to see the creativity, determination, and resourcefulness black people bring to creating wealth. Less thrilling, but still necessary, is a dash of reality. African Americans’ entrepreneurial businesses led in the number of bankruptcies. And even when they’re successful as entrepreneurs, African Americans too often choose to go it alone because they’re shut out of other routes to the top.” (more…)