This year’s focus of the New Jersey African American Chamber of Commerce “Black Expo” was to celebrate “Juneteenth and Enhanced Business Opportunities” for black businesses throughout the state. Under the direction of Dr. John E. Harmon, Sr. (pictured above), the chamber’s founder and CEO, he shed some light on the recent New Jersey “Disparity Study” and that of the current state of Black business in New Jersey today. 

For starters and for those who may not know about or the meaning of Juneteenth, I would like to provide a bit of history for your information. Juneteenth is the Country’s newest federal holiday that was signed into law on June 17, 2021 by President Joe Biden making “Juneteenth” a federal holiday. It commemorates June 19, 1865, which was the day in Galveston Bay, Texas, that the last slaves were informed by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger that they were free citizens. 

These valiant slaves who endured what seemed like a lifetime of endless pain and suffering for over two-years [after the emancipation of 1863] for the message that the emancipation Proclamation had taken effect, thereby setting enslaved people in Confederate States free. It was believed that the mayor of Galveston, Texas, initially delayed informing the freed slaves until after the harvest and another hypothesis was poor communications. [It was through the 13th Amendment that ultimately abolished slavery throughout the United States of America.] 

The [now] established holiday acknowledging Juneteenth came about after a long and arduous fight by activist over the years for something which should have been automatic. It is another victory fought long and hard, but in the end the enslaved people and their offspring won. 

That is why “today,” the African American/Black people in [New Jersey], the United States, and throughout the world, must never cease fighting in the light of what may appear to be hopeless. Which is a good segue to the actual events of the “Black Business Expo” — and the current matter of disparities in state run agencies confronting Black-owned businesses in New Jersey as well as a discussion on various methodologies leading to enhanced business opportunities and profits for black entrepreneurs.

THE ISSUE OF DISPARITY AND INEQUALITY FOR BLACK BUSINESSES IN NEW JERSEY

Dr. John Harmon, Sr. the founder and CEO the of AACCNJ delivered a powerful message to the African American/Black business community, informing them that they are not in the clear and the fight for equality and fairness is ongoing (as the expo was properly labeled — “The Journey Continues.”) He explained the results of the New Jersey Disparity Study released January 2024. It’s a studies that cost upwards of one-million plus. The study revealed where, why, when and who the State of New Jersey is doing business with over an extended period. The finding are startling and quite stark in comparison to the number of African Americans living in the state.

Harmon said of the study, “Black-owned businesses received only 1% or less of states contracts in all industries between fiscal years 2015-2020.” According to the “Disparity Study” Black-owned businesses received approximately $3.3 million compared to White-male-owned businesses who received $10.8 billion. Further, Black-owned businesses received $13.7 million for professional services, compared to White-male-owned businesses $3.4 billion. 

In addition, John stated, “The contracts awarded are funded by your tax dollars making you entitled to get your fair piece of the pie.” He went on to talk about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s ‘Mountain Top Speech on April 3, 1968,’ wherein King talked about a check which was returned for insufficient funds and the obligation the U.S. owes Black Americans and their ancestors for building this country. 

Harmon pointed out to attendees, “If you shy away from King’s message and your own greatness, then you are marginalizing yourself. Those things that make the U.S. the envy of the world, your ancestors were responsible for it.” To further paraphrase Mr. Harmon in his furtherance to the crowd: The Journey will only continue by [you] business associates who will stand firm and not relinquish your ingenuity, creativity, power, and fortitude embedded within you needed to authenticate [your] value composition to society and the businesses you seek to partner with. 

“You can’t be a chump said Harmon, ‘when trying to get money, you can’t sell yourself short when you know you’re the best and the market deserves what you have to offer,'” John said. In other words, Harmon told attendees, “you cannot not shy away from your accomplishment or due diligence and expect the chamber to intervene on your behalf. No, we have your backs, but running your business, that’s not going to happen. When you get in the room with prospective business clients, [you] have to close the your deal. 

Notwithstanding, as a direct result of the disparity study’s findings, John Harmon created a Task Force to help the Governor and his administration address the inequities in business opportunities for Black-owned businesses in New Jersey. Ultimately, serving to help broaden the scope of New Jersey’s personnel, its agencies, and departments towards administering equity and real measurable distribution of state contracts in accordance to the states demographic percentages among the multiple businesses and entrepreneurs from minority communities: both Black and Brown citizens. 

John told the crowd that “AACCNJ” will help businesses as much as possible, but they will not close the deal for you.  At the same time, John said the state’s agencies must do a better job filtering state run departments and delivering equity and fairness across the board… 

In attendance at the Expo as a speaker was New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy, who appeared extremely excited about future prospects for African American/Black businesses and their subsequent empowerment. Murphy’s attendance shows he has a strong interest in moving the AACCNJ and Black businesses in New Jersey forward. But some attendees were skeptical as one individual articulated, “I am reminded that one’s participation in a group’s or organization’s conference, seminar, or meeting is one thing, however, it’s the actual results in end that matters most for me. Only time will tell the truth. 

Gov. Phil Murphy, the New Jersey key lawmaker promised to take actions to ameliorate the inequalities revealed in the disparity report. The governor’s office consist of two four-year terms, and Gov. Phil Murphy is in his second term as Governor (with approximately two years left in office). Consequently, time is of the essence for this governor to act. The African American community must also play a part in ensuring justice and equity by monitoring the progress prior to Governor, Murphy leaving office. Waiting for another “Disparity Report” is not an option.  

As luck would have it, what’s known of Governor Murphy, he has shown himself to be a fair and honorable political advocate for people of color in New Jersey. Phil Murphy (a Democrat) had his administration analyze the Disparity Study in which he commissioned. They scrutinized the report using in or around 240,000 state contracts involving 60+ state agencies over a period from 2015 to 2020. It was revealed that New Jersey had an astonishing level of inequities related to Black businesses in multiple areas.