Prior to 1960, downtown Rock Hill had a very thriving African-American Business District. During the 1960s & 1970s, those businesses were torn down as part of the federally funded Urban Renewal program. Since then, not many African-American-owned businesses have re-emerged in the downtown area.

 

Thanks to a new initiative created by BELL of Rock Hill, community leaders, and business owners, the BELL-Prize program will help re-establish a strong and diverse small business community, by offering individuals the opportunity to compete for capital to start or grow their businesses. Check out this video to learn more about the mission behind this initiative.