May 13 2009
John and Maggie Anderson

Buy Black for a Year? Meet the Andersons

Do you think you could shop exclusively in black owned stores for an entire year? John Anderson, a Harvard graduate, and his wife Maggie, who earned a law degree and an MBA from the University of Chicago are doing just that. It’s something they’re calling The Empowerment Experiment. The purpose is to help black businesses during these ‘tough economic times’ and help break the stereotype that well run, black owned establishments do not exist. The Andersons are taking it as far as filling up their car’s gas tanks at black-owned stations. The closest station is 40 miles away from their home. So they buy gas cards from the black owned station and swipe em’ like debit cards at more convenient locations. As of May 1, they have spent $27,000 dollars with black-owned businesses.

Some people are wondering if they’re efforts aren’t a tad bit racist. John Anderson explained..

John Anderson

“What we are not advocating is that people, ad infinitum shop along racial lines. That’s not we’re advocating.” What are they advocating? Listen in.

Towards the end, they admit sticking to the plan is proving difficult, because there aren’t enough black-owned businesses that satisfy their needs. The key, I think, and Maggie says this as well, is if you find a good business, support them. It’s something I do when I can; not as a black thing, as a small business thing.

There is a newly renovated Spanish-owned diner on the Avenue: best omelets in the business. I see clothing stores popping up in the neighborhood. I know they aren’t making big cash. So when I need a new pair of jeans I’ll check them out first. Drove by a new fish and chips place. Not your typical 24 hour shack. They’re laid out like a restaurant and cook fresh to order. Bought from them.

Doesn’t mean I’ll deal with any of these places exclusively or weekly, and certainly not because they’re black. They run businesses not tip jars, but when a spot proves its worth *ching ching*


☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼

1 will Thu, May 14, 2009 - 2:01 pm

What has gotten into the two of you? What part of this is okay? If this were a white couple doing this, they would be labeled racist faster than light travels. Why can’t we all just be Americans? Why can’t we all recognize that THIS is the kind of thing that is really dividing our country? Try to remember, if okay for some, it’s okay for all, if it’s NOT okay for some, then it shouldn’t be okay for any. But I guess you two just don’t see it that way. And people wonder why racism still exists. Until we, as a people, Americans, notice there’s no hyphen in front of that, stop focusing on race, we, as Americans, will never stop focusing on race.

2 Above Thu, May 14, 2009 - 10:48 pm

If America really worked the way you want it too I would see your point. But in reality it doesn’t. Do I agree with buying black only? NO! but I understand why they want to do it. If white America would start treating black America like people then things like this wouldn’t happen. So if you want to know why racism still exist just ask white people, They are the ones that always focus on race. When hiring someone, the look at color. When giving loans, they look at color. When cops pull people over, they definitely look at color. This is not what has divided our country. This is in retaliation to what really has divided our country

3 Whatdabi Fri, May 15, 2009 - 8:02 pm

What the Andersons are doing is an experiment that almost every other ethnic group does without thinking.  In the Jewish community, for every dollar they spend, something like 93 cents is with their own.  African Americans by contrast spend less than 10 cents of every dollar on black businesses.  Our history in this country is one that says black business are inferior, but that is definitely not the case.  I think the Anderson’s experiment is meant highlight the fact that it takes a conscious effort for Blacks to support our own, while most other groups spend amongst themselves naturally.

-WDBI

4 ME Sat, May 16, 2009 - 6:46 pm

I personally make an effort to support black businesses also. Now I cannot say I go to the extreme of these people but I do purposely buy from black people when possible. It is VERY important for us to support our own communities. All other races do it and it helps send their kids to college, save money for owning a home and create communities instead of hoods. It is not racist at all. I really dont understand black people like the first commentor Will…that thought pattern is so juvenile and simplistic.

5 Above Sun, May 17, 2009 - 5:31 pm

I have to disagree with you ME. Just buying black is racist. If a white company owner just hired white people wouldn’t that be racist?

6 Running Deer Thu, May 21, 2009 - 3:42 pm

I think this whole situation shows how really racist some people can be. Take the Andersons for an example, they are only supporting their race. There was a very famous government official who did the same kind of “experiment” as they are doing now, and it did improve his community as well as his country. His name was Adolf Hitler. For german by germans was the nazi propoganda. I guess when the Anderson’s got all that education they failed to pay attention to history. I have been reading the other responces and this “experiment” is showing everyone who is the biggest racists of all. In responce to Mr. Above, you must be unemployed because there is no company who can do that in this day in age.The bad thing is that noone has pointed out that it’s OUR communities, not black or white or hispanic communities, but OUR communities. All men are created equal in my eyes and I’m native American. Wake up people we will never be equal as long as people like the Anderson’s keep getting away with things that other races would be blasted over the internet for being racist. When will the racism end?

7 Above Thu, May 21, 2009 - 4:34 pm

@Running Deer, Me… Unemployed??? Don’t confuse me with you. For you to say companies can’t do that in this day and shows how naive you are. Companies STILL hire based on race. Where have you been? Going back to me being unemployed. I am sure willing to put up financial records against you any day. In a perfect world it would be OUR communities but in the REAL world it is the black, white, hispanic, and so on communities. Get over the fantasy world peace and harmony and live in the real one. White people get away with things that other races would be blasted for everyday. There’s white cops racial profiling, there’s companies run by white people giving promotions to other whites, there’s white judges sentencing blacks harsher than whites and the list goes on and on. So stop with the equal ground mess. Is what the Anderson’s doing wrong YES!!! But is all the racial profiling, unfair sentencing by judges, promotions because they are white, and all the racist things white people do right? NO!!! So I can’t be mad at the Anderson’s…

8 ME Thu, May 21, 2009 - 11:53 pm

Can someone really explain to me why the Anderson’s experiment is so unethical or “wrong”?

9 Above Fri, May 22, 2009 - 12:02 am

I’ll give it a shot. To exclude a race or races from everyday life is racist. Now do other races do it? Yes! And it is wrong. Yes! Do I understand what the Anderson’s are doing? Yes. But wrong is wrong. I asked before, if a white company only hires whites are they wrong?

10 ITSMEKC Sat, May 30, 2009 - 1:08 pm

I’ve sat on this article and my response to it for several days now.  Ms. Anderson, as depicted in the artile I read in my local paper, is a racist.  The community I live in is made of every race under the sun!  I live in a small town in a modest neighborhood and we all care about each other and we get along because we understand we are all in this community together. We all shop at the same stores, we all ride the same busses and drive the same type of cars.  Is there a difference between us, yes and all it is is our color of skin! So what? Who cares?  When I read Ms. Anderson’s quoted comment “It’s like, my people have been here 400 years and we don’t even have a Walgreens to show for it”.  Did she really say that?”  If I, as a white woman, said anything like this in a newspaper or anywhere else, charges would be brought against me by the ACLU. Ms. Anderson, you seem to be a fake and to me you’re just looking for your 15 minutes of fame. Too bad you didn’t find a more positive way to build up your community and your country.

11 Above Sat, May 30, 2009 - 6:04 pm

Why is it when a black person speaks the truth white people SAY they are racist? It is true we have been here for a long time and America, especially whites, continue to TRY to hold us back. Maybe the community you live in is cares about each other but for the most part whites couldn’t give a shit about blacks. White people forever have been favoring whites, weather it be for employment or white cops giving whites breaks for what they would give blacks tickets for or many other things. Her statement is right blacks get nothing from White America. Indians are getting casinos and all other kinds of reparations. Where are the reparations for blacks? Not that I am looking for any but White America hasn’t even mentioned reparations for blacks. If you said anything like what Mrs. Anderson said there would be no charges filed against you. Stop it! You are stretching the truth a bit don’t you think?!?! Bottom line is America doesn’t give a shit about us but you and many other whites want us to just sit there and take it. Proof is, the minute we speak up people like you want to call us racist which just isn’t true.

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