(BALTIMORE – July 7, 2026) — The countdown is on.
The Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition returns to Baltimore on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, bringing together leaders from business, government, education, real estate, media, and the nonprofit community for an evening focused on leadership, opportunity, and community empowerment.
Presented by BMORENews and BlackUSA.News, the Summit will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the PS 103 Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, 1315 Division Street, Baltimore.
The evening features The Doni Glover Show LIVE, engaging forums, networking, and the presentation of the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, now celebrating 15 years of recognizing outstanding leadership throughout Baltimore and beyond.
In the days leading up to the Summit, BMORENews is publishing feature stories highlighting this year’s honorees and the work they are doing to strengthen our communities.
Among those already featured are:
- Anthony Jones
- Chezia Cager
- Linda Dorsey-Walker
- Shea Rice
- Curtis Dunham
- Charlyn Nater
- Mia Blom
- Oluwa “Toni” Elewa-Gidado
- Derrick Whiting
Each honoree represents a different path to leadership—from entrepreneurship and small business development to public policy, community organizing, economic development, education, advocacy, and public service.
“One of the things I love most about the Black Wall Street Awards is that they tell the story of our people,” said Doni Glover, founder of the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards. “Some honorees are CEOs. Some are public servants. Some are neighborhood leaders. Some are emerging professionals. Others have overcome extraordinary adversity. Together, they remind us that Black excellence comes in many forms.”
Now in its 15th year, the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards have recognized hundreds of leaders whose work often happens quietly but whose impact is felt throughout Baltimore and across the region.
Why This Class Matters
I’ve been doing this a long time.
At 61 years old, I’ve had the privilege of watching generations of leaders come and go. I’ve covered presidents, governors, members of Congress, mayors, CEOs, entrepreneurs, clergy, activists, and neighborhood legends. I’ve interviewed thousands of people over the past quarter century.
And I can tell you this:
This entire cohort is extraordinary.
With the exception of two honorees, every one of these honorees is younger than me. I say that intentionally because they represent something I believe Baltimore doesn’t celebrate nearly enough.
They are emerging leaders—not because they lack experience, but because their greatest contributions still lie ahead.
I’ve watched many of these men and women work.
I’ve watched them under pressure.
I’ve watched them in the belly of the beast.
I’ve watched them on the political battlefield, in boardrooms, inside government agencies, in neighborhood meetings, and behind the scenes when nobody else was watching.
I’ve seen them make difficult decisions.
I’ve seen them stand on principle.
I’ve seen them keep showing up when quitting would have been easier.
Some I’ve known for years. Others I’ve come to know more recently. But every one of them has earned my respect.
That’s why they’re here.
Too often, Baltimore is reduced to headlines about crime, corruption, and dysfunction. Those stories are real, but they are not the whole story.
There is another Baltimore.
There is a Baltimore filled with builders.
Problem-solvers.
Entrepreneurs.
Public servants.
Educators.
Advocates.
Neighbors who quietly roll up their sleeves every day and make this city better.
That’s the Baltimore these awards celebrate.
And when we talk about Black Baltimore, we should remember something history has already taught us.
Long before the Civil War, Baltimore was home to the largest population of free Black people in America. That legacy didn’t disappear. It evolved. It lives on in a people who have always found ways to build institutions, businesses, churches, schools, movements, and families despite extraordinary obstacles.
There is something about a Baltimorean.
Whether we’re in Baltimore, Atlanta, Los Angeles, London, or Lagos, we carry ourselves a certain way. We have a certain confidence, a certain resilience, a certain je ne sais quoi that is difficult to explain but impossible to ignore.
As Kendrick Lamar might say, it’s in our DNA.
This class of honorees embodies that spirit.
It is a carefully curated group of leaders—most born here, all invested here—who have poured their blood, sweat, tears, talent, and love into making Baltimore a better place.
They deserve more than applause.
They deserve our gratitude.
And on August 5, I hope you’ll join us in giving them the standing ovation they’ve earned.
Additional honoree profiles will continue to appear on BMORENews.com in the coming days.
Event Details
Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
PS 103 Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center
1315 Division Street
Baltimore, Maryland
The evening includes:
- The Doni Glover Show LIVE
- Conversations with leaders from business, government, and the community
- Networking opportunities
- The Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards
RSVP today: BlackWallStreetSummit26.eventbrite.com
