Top Black Business Events: Conferences, Workshops, and Seminars

Every year, many Black business conferences are held across the country that specifically cater to established or aspiring African American business owners, professionals, authors, bloggers, and more. Literally thousands of people travel to network and do business at such events. These events are usually held in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and New York, and typically include extensive training workshops, powerful speeches, power networking sessions, grand hall expos, and more.

MAY:

African American Pavilion at Book Expo America
As a part of BookExpo America, this event is one of the largest book trade exhibits in the world provides independent African American book publishers, self publishers, authors, African American imprints at major publishing houses, distributors, literary agents, publicists, librarians, and bookstore owners with exposure to more than 80,000 book buyers and booksellers from across the world.
Usually held in May in Los Angeles or New York City.
www.AfricanAmericanPavilion.com

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Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference
As the country’s premier Black business conference and networking event for African American entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and professionals, The Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference is the only venue where leaders of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses gather at one place, one time, and with one purpose.
Usually held in May; Location varies.
www.BlackEnterprise.com/ec

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Blacks Network Conference
This conference is designed to help network and bring together minority business owners, future entrepreneurs, senior management, professionals and company decision-makers. If anyone is looking to make Business-to-Business connections, learn about products & services that will help business growth, or grab cutting-edge professional ideals, connections, and speed networking.
Usually held in May in Atlanta, GA
www.BlacksNetwork.com

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Blogger Week™ UnConference
The Blogger Week UnConference, hosted by Black Bloggers Connect, features hot-topic discussions and breakout sessions to promote innovation, creativity and success for bloggers and social media mavens. It is usually preceded by a four-day multicultural festival of bloggers, journalists and social media mavens attending Twitter parties, Google Hangouts, workshops, panels, and networking events.
Usually held in April/May; Location varies.
www.BloggerWeek.com

JUNE:

Blogging While Brown Conference
This conference is the premier blogging conference dedicated to education, collaboration, and innovation among bloggers of color. The conference brings Black social media experts, speakers, and independent content creators together to educate, inspire, and expand their influence in social media and technology. Along with panel discussions, keynotes, and networking opportunities this 2 day event also includes blogger training workshops.
Usually held in June; Location varies.
www.BloggingWhileBrown.com

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FraserNet Power Networking Conference
FraserNet is a global leadership network of 60,000 Black professionals, business owners, and community leaders. At their annual conference, they focused on creating economic development through education, training and empowerment for Black people. They train, educate and equip Black people with new skills, new thinking and new approaches for personal, professional and financial success in the 21st century.
Usually held in June; Location varies.
www.FraserNet.com

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MFHA’s Cultural Intelligence Conference
MFHA (Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance) is a non-profit organization in the food and hospitality industry that educates, advocates for and connects its members with opportunities to build their cultural intelligence in order to effectively engage multicultural employees, customers and communities. Their annual “cultural intelligence” conference is a learning event that is designed to equip foodservice, lodging and retail operators with the cultural intelligence knowledge, skills and insights needed to increase business results with multicultural teams.
Usually held in June; Location varies.
www.MFHA.net

JULY:

Indiana Black Expo Business Conference
This conference is an exciting, jam-packed 4-day conference of workshops, symposiums, receptions and networking opportunities held during the first week of IBE’s Summer Celebration. The goal is to provide a venue to empower minority- and women-owned business owners with information and resources that assist them in achieving financial stability and sustainability for their companies.
Usually held in July in Indianapolis, Indiana.
www.ibeonline.com/ibebbc/

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National Black Chamber of Commerce Annual Convention
The National Black Chamber of Commerce® is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black Diaspora. The annual convention is a networking event for professionals and entrepreneurs, and usually features a reception with food and entertainment.
Usually held in July; Location varies.
www.NBCCconvention.org

AUGUST:

Black Writers Reunion and Conference
This conference is well known for its engaging workshop presenters, outstanding topics, inspirational ambience, and professional organization. Their mission is to educate, support, and motivate aspiring, emerging, and published writers. They promote and encourage artistic expression and growth through skill development in the art, craft, and business of creative writing in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama as well as business and career endeavors in professional writing.
Usually held in August; Location varies.
www.BlackWriters.org

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ColorComm Conference
C2 (short for ColorComm Conference) is the ultimate business conference for women of color in communications. Innovative programs, presented by the industry’s top practitioners and thought leaders, will address key issues and predict future trends. Unlike many professional conferences with thousands in attendance, C2 is an intimate group of approximately 300 multicultural, professional women. That means everyone can identify with common experiences and challenges and everyone is accessible. With access comes action, the kind of action you need to advance your career, build your business and enhance your personal development.
Usually held in August; Location varies.
www.colorcommconference.com

SEPTEMBER:

National Black MBA Association Conference
This Black business conference is for African Americans who have earned or would like to earn their MBA. The event is dedicated to developing partnerships that result in the creation of intellectual and economic wealth in the black community. It aims to increase awareness and facilite access to graduate management education programs and career opportunities in management fields.
Usually held in September; Location varies.
www.NBMBAA.org/conference/

OCTOBER:

Women Entrepreneur’s Expo (WEE)
This free semi-annual expo is an interactive business event designed to empower small businesses, women-owned businesses, new businesses, expanding businesses, and successful businesses. The event prides itself with business revitalization as well as providing consumers the tools and resources to connect, learn, and network.
Usually held in October in the Washington, DC area
www.WomenExpo.info

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National Black Book Festival
This annual event attracts a wide array of Black authors, publishers, book clubs, libraries and individual readers from the Southwest U.S. and nationwide. There are workshops, powerful speeches, networking opportunities, and even an author’s expo.
Usually held in October in Houston, Texas.
www.NationalBlackBookFestival.com

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Black Enterprise Techconnext
Hosted by Black Enterprise magazine, this event is for tech entrepreneurs and enthusiasts. The goal is to bring Black tech professionals together to learn from and inspire one another. The event addresses topics such as podcasting, social media, cryptocurrency, digital publishing and more. There is also an annual Black Tech Awards to recognize the exceptional achievements and contributions of tech industry leaders, disruptors, and game-changers.
Usually held in October; Usually held in the San Francisco bay area.
www.blackenterprise.com/techconnext/

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The Blackberry Naturals Pink Leaf Retreat
This event supports female entrepreneurs of color who serve the natural hair and wellness community. The event brings female entrepreneurs of color from around the country for a weekend of powerful networking and fellowship.
Usually held in October; Location varies.
www.PinkLeafRetreat.com

NOVEMBER:

AfroTech
A groundbreaking, revolutionary 2-day conference for Black techies, startups and entrepreneurs! Attendees usually include about 3,000+ founders, entrepreneurs, and engineers from across the country for a 360-degree look at how culture and tech runs the world.
Usually held in November in San Francisco, California.
www.afrotech.com

We Buy Black Convention
This event is produced by WeBuyBlack, the largest online marketplace where Black owned businesses can create a shop and sell their products to the world. Growing its online presence to reaching millions of people, We Buy Black quickly became more than a website, but a strong movement to help circulate dollars within the Black community.
Usually held in November in Atlanta, Georgia.
www.webuyblackconvention.com/

MogulCon
This an upscale and exclusive experience that is designed to engage, educate, encourage, and empower women who are interested in building their empire as apart of the entrepreneurial community.
Usually held in November in Atlanta, Georgia.
www.MogulCon.com

MULTIPLE DATES:

Tag Team Marketing Black Business Network Events
Powered by Tag Team Marketing, these events are leading a global movement, inspired by the work of Marcus Garvey, to create billions in Black-on-Black commerce and move the Black community into a position of economic power. Their Black Business Network aims to get Black people buying from Black-owned businesses consistently, on a massive scale.
Dates vary; Location varies.