BBN was founded in 2021 by a group of individuals dedicated to sharing professional resources with Black students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Recognizing that many students of color feel limited in their career opportunities aims to empower them, highlight their potential and foster a "Paying it Forward" culture to support future Black professionals.

The pillars of Black Business Networks are (ACE), Activism, Connection, and Enrichment and are designed to guide the organization in the direction of providing quality events towards members that build interconnectivity with both the campus community along with the professional world.