Bringing Black Wall Street to West Point
WEST POINT, Miss., (WCBI) — Organizers in West Point held the Third Annual Black Wall Street Expo at the Clay County Civic Center Saturday, March 14.
LaThomas McClelland, owner of Jewels by LaThomas, said she wanted to hold the event as a way to network. So, she created a family friendly event — Black Wall Street.
The name comes from the Historic Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma of the 1920s. And as a way to honor what Black Wall Street was in Oklahoma during the 1920s, McClelland wanted to do the same in West Point — bring vendors together under one roof.
The Civic Center was wall to wall with vendors and shoppers alike, meeting new people, trying new items and learning more about what’s available. Business owners from not only the region but from Alabama, Georgia, Texas and even Jamaica were in the center Saturday.
McClelland said that it shows unity.
“There’s power in numbers. There is no competition in this room, there’s collaboration. So as long as we keep working together and building a network, Black Wall Street will never die,” McClelland said. ” And during a time when they’re trying to dim our lights, as long as we keep letting our light shine nobody will ever be able to do that.”
