The Business of Freedom
For more than four decades, the Downings operated the Oyster House, an upscale restaurant in mid-nineteenth century segregated New York City. Their customers included the city's wealthiest businesspeople and politicians. Foreign dignitaries like Queen Victoria of England dined there. The Downings made a fortune—and they used it. They supported churches that served as community anchors. They funded aid for the poor. They built schools that educated the next generation. They financed campaigns to expand voting rights for Black New Yorkers. They bankrolled their activism as abolitionists. This is intentional wealth-building. The Downings didn't accumulate money for its own sake. They accumulated money to fund freedom. Every oyster sold helped support the Underground Railroad. Every catering job helped finance a school. The Downing story reminds us that economic power matters in any freedom struggle. Movements need resources. Organizers need to eat. Schools need buildings. Lawyers need fees. The Downings understood this and built wealth strategically. Today's movements wrestle with the same questions. How do we fund the fight for justice? How do we build economic independence while challenging unjust systems? The Downings offer one model: build excellent businesses, serve diverse customers, and invest profits in liberation.