Declining Black Pharmacy Ownership Impacts Health Equity

Disclaimer: the views of this video are those of John Clark and not the institution

Black pharmacists have historically played a central role in advancing health equity and serving Black communities, particularly in the early to mid-20th century. In this video, John E. Clark, PharmD, MS, FASHP, FFSHP, an associate professor at Taneja College of Pharmacy at the University of South Florida, explains how Black-owned drugstores were once anchors of Black neighborhoods, providing not only medications but also trusted health advice, community engagement, and local leadership. However, since around the 1940s and 1950s, the number of Black pharmacy owners has steadily declined, leading to a loss of that close community connection and visibility.

Clark highlights that today, Black pharmacists typically work in pharmacies that serve broad, diverse patient populations rather than primarily Black communities. This shift, combined with business pressures, can make some owners cautious about engaging in highly targeted advocacy for Black patients. Historically, white drugstores resisted hiring Black pharmacists due to fears of losing white customers and profits. Similar concerns about revenue and customer reactions may influence how aggressively today’s pharmacies address racial health disparities.

Despite these challenges, he emphasizes that Black pharmacists still have powerful opportunities to promote health equity without undermining their business model. For example, they can run in-store health education campaigns focused on conditions that disproportionately affect Black communities, such as heart disease or heart failure. By organizing awareness events, distributing educational materials, and encouraging screenings and doctor visits during specific months, pharmacies can both support community health and strengthen their business.

Black pharmacists can adapt their strategies, use disease-focused campaigns, and creatively engage patients to continue addressing systemic health injustices while maintaining sustainable pharmacies.

“Today, the number of Black pharmacy owners have declined, and it's been declining since probably about the 1940s or 50s,” Clark said. “It's been going down, and it's even still low.”