Final answer:
Woodson criticized Black businessmen because he saw a potential neglect for communal responsibilities amidst the pursuit of personal success, and their acceptance of government support within an uneven playing field marked by structural inequalities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carter G. Woodson was critical of Black businessmen because he believed that their focus on individual success could neglect the wider needs of the African American community. Woodson lived in a time when historians often held racially biased views that were justified and perpetuated through miseducation. The critique extended to Black business practices, where reliance on government funding was common, yet there was criticism of welfare dependency among the working class.
This led to a complex dialogue about Black capitalism, where figures like Martin Luther King Jr. argued that Black self-help and capitalism ignored deeper societal inequalities and structural disadvantages. Furthermore, the expansion of chain stores into primarily Black neighborhoods had displaced thousands of Black-owned businesses, which previously provided jobs and reinvestment in the community.