Meet Brian Brooks, The Owner of the Oldest Black Owned Business in America

‏Brian Brooks owns the nation’s oldest continuously operating black-owned business, E.E. Ward Moving & Storage.

E.E. Ward was an existing family run business for 138 years. It officially launched in 1881 by John T. Ward and his son William Ward with just two horses and a wagon. Prior to establishing the business in 1881 John T. Ward was also a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Brian’s father was a lawyer for the owner of the business, and after there was no family succession plan in place and no interest from other family to take it over, Brian Brooks purchased the business from Eldon W. Ward in 2001.

E.E. Ward operates a fleet of about a dozen long haul trucks and two warehouses in Columbus and Charlotte, North Carolina. It is also an agent for the moving company North American Van Lines.

The company serves customers providing local, interstate and long-distance moving wherever customers need service.

Brian Brooks partnered with NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty to be the official mover. E.E. Ward has received several awards for its high level of service, philanthropic activities, and business innovation. Awards include but aren’t limited to OMSDC MBE Supplier of The Year award, BBB of Central Ohio’s Torch Award (3 of them), Pillar Awards for Community Service, Corporate Caring Human Services Award, Diversity In Business Award and the highly coveted Agent of The Year Service Excellence Award from the American Moving Storage Association.