A slave burial ground in lower Manhattan has officially been declared a national monument by President Bush. More than 400 remains from the 17th to 18th centuries have been discovered at the site, dubbed the African Burial Ground. “Appointing this site as a national monument is important, because this is not just African American history. This is American history,” says Burial Ground public educator Patricia Leonard.
Minar Products, maker of all-natural soap and toothpaste, has taken its first steps toward national distribution. Based in Chicago, Minar’s products will now be available in Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago and in Walgreens stores in Illinois and Indiana. “These deals are important because it allows us to move beyond the health food store market and into the mass market,” says Minar owner Henry Stewart. Sales in 2005 totaled $500,000. “I expect we will reach a million dollars in sales this year, giving us the momentum we need to partner with other distribution outlets like Target and CVS.” — Kiara Ashanti
Terri Franklin and her Accents of Color pantyhose line finally have a leg in the door at major retail stores. Nordstrom stores now carry the hosiery line made for women of color. Select T.J. Maxx and Marshalls stores will debut the line this fall. Franklin’s goals are “to expand the line to include knee highs, support hose, and thigh highs.” With this deal, projected sales for 2006 are $200,000, and Franklin is expecting to see a 40% increase in sales through 2007. “The deal with Nordstrom paves the way into other department stores. They like the fact that Accents of Color is on the shelves at Nordstrom,” reveals Franklin. — Wendy Isom