From the colonial era to the present day, small businesses have been an integral part of American life. First published in 1991 and now thoroughly revised and updated, "A History of Small Business in America" explores the central but ever-changing role played by small enterprises in the nation's economic, political, and cultural development. Examining small businesses in manufacturing, sales, services, and farming, Mansel Blackford argues that while small firms have always been important to the nation's development, their significance has varied considerably in different time periods and in different segments of our economy. Throughout, he relates small business development to changes in America's overall business and economic systems and offers comparisons between the growth of small business in the United States to its development in other countries. He places special emphasis on the importance of small business development for women and minorities. Unique in its breadth, this book provides the only comprehensive overview of these significant topics.

曼塞爾•布萊剋福德是商業曆史的專傢，其目前的工作涉及企業史，以及企業同全球社會和政治變化的關係。曾擔任經濟和商業曆史學會會長、企業曆史研討會會長，並兩次作為高級富布賴特講師到日本。