African American owned businesses opened on the Avenue by at least by 1865, including a grocery store owned by Samuel G. Smothers and a "peddler shop" owned by William Franklin. The Indianapolis Leader, the first black owned newspaper in Indianapolis, catered to the interests of the growing African American population and featured advertisements for Indiana Avenue businesses. The Leader began publishing in the 1870s.
African American-owned businesses started appearing on the Avenue by 1865, with a grocery store owned by Samuel G. Smothers and a "peddler shop" owned by William Franklin among them. The Indianapolis Leader, the first black-owned newspaper in Indianapolis, catered to the needs of the growing African American community and featured advertisements for businesses located on Indiana Avenue. The Leader began publishing in the 1870s.