Black Business District In Little Rock Aims To Reclaim Former Glory

A Black business district in Little Rock, Arkansas, has plans to re-establish an almost-forgotten legacy. The district, located along West Ninth Street in the city, opened with over 20 Black-owned shops. However, the strip of vendors doesn’t reside in typical brick-and-mortar stores. According to the Arkansas Times , these shops are positioned in transformed shipping containers. The reimagined district held a grand opening on April 8, with visitors passing by each unique storefront to patronize the new businesses. City leaders, including Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., gathered at the district to celebrate the launch. While a modern take on the traditional shopping plaza, the business district is a callback to a Black entrepreneurial haven once found in the area generations ago. The project, titled “Beyond the Divide: Reconnecting W. Ninth Street to the Hearts of Little Rock,” wants to reclaim the area’s storied history. Like many historic Black hubs, the initial district fell victim to urban renewal policies that destroyed it in the early 1960s. Now, Little Rock officials hope to revive the corridor’s origins, remarking on the historic pride of the area. “Under the guise of urban renewal, this area was redlined,” explained Scott at the launch event. “And then the federal government cemented those red lines through I-630, and it cut off economic activity that was created by the Black residents of this great city. And so that’s the …