Co-operative Economics in Weeksville

Back in October, I received an invitation to a holiday pop-up coordinated by the Young Brown Collective. The location was the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn.

What's "Weeksville"? That was my question, too. I didn't find out until I pulled up at 158 Buffalo Ave. on the first snow day of the season.

Weeksville is a historic Black settlement - one of the first free Black communities in the U.S. Free Black people came together to buy land in the area (which is now Bed Stuy) in 1838. In addition to homes, Weeksville had its own school, two churches, a newspaper, and other businesses. But by the late 1960s, all but four house in this community were gone. The Weeksville Heritage Center works to preserve and share this important history.

The Center was the perfect host location for an event dedicated to supporting small, Black-owned businesses. My mom came with me and we sold some books, bought some gifts, met fellow entrepreneurs, and toured two of the beautifully restored Weeksville homes (pictured below). Co-operative economics in full effect!

Learn more about Weeksville here: