Black Lives Matter Atlanta plans to hold a flash mob buying event Friday at the Shrine of the Black Madonna Cultural Center and Bookstore in Atlanta.
khalid kamau, an activist with the group, said it’s part of an initiative to support black businesses every Friday.
The group plans to meet at the bookstore, 946 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd., at noon.
kamau, a bus driver, said the effort began earlier this year “to make every Friday ‘Black Friday’. We want to redefine that day (which is usually promoted as a big shopping day on the day after Thanksgiving) to mean shopping exclusively at black businesses. We want to really develop a pattern of behavior in the African American community.”
He said during these flash mob events, participants take photos and spend money at those businesses. Some of the previous ones have been held at area black-owned restaurants and a gym. They promote the event under the hashtag #BlackFridays. He said they give businesses notice they plan to come.
On Friday, the organization is asking people, in particular, to buy U.S. Rep. John Lewis’, book, “Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement”, written with Michel D’Orso.
He said the organization plans to follow up with an “intergenerational discussion” between today’s younger activists and civil rights icons such as Lewis.
For now, though, it’s more business for the Shrine.
“I think black businesses need all the help we can get,” said Velma Fann, events manager at the bookstore. “We have another generation that’s coming. In the 90s there was a movement to support black businesses, then there was a little bit of a lull. This refreshing to see .”
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