John Harmon is the founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.
As Black History Month winds down, I think about the efforts of so many of my ancestors and leaders who went to great lengths to demonstrate that black people could meet the standard(s) if the playing field were level, and the terms of engagement fully disclosed. When Dr. Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week in 1926 it was all about showcasing Black Excellence in math, health care, science, engineering, technology, industry, innovation, culinary, sports and entertainment.
It was Robert Smalls and Frederick Douglass who negotiated with President Lincoln to draft 170,000 black slaves into the Army to claim victory in the Civil War in exchange for the liberation of blacks from slavery through the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation. Fast forward 37 years, Booker T. Washington, established the Negro Business League, which introduced Black entrepreneurs to free enterprise and capitalistic activities. The NBL started with 40 chambers between Maryland and Texas and grew to over 300 chambers, largely throughout the south.
This may surprise you: Notwithstanding the tumult that my people in the south encounter, Black businesses today in Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland are outpacing Black businesses in New Jersey today. Perhaps this is because they, and those who are collaborating with them, have not forgotten the price paid historically by blacks. (States with the largest number of black businesses by ranking: Florida (1), Texas (2), Georgia (3), North Carolina (8), Viginia (9), Maryland (10), New Jersey (13).
In 1912, President Taft founded the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the largest business federation in the world and I am honored to serve on its board of trustees. There is no doubt in my mind that success is within the DNA of black people, passed on by our ancestors. After all, it was the slaves harvesting cotton and many of the ancillary devices that led to mass production and exports to Europe – and created enormous wealth for those who leveraged this free labor. And when these enterprising businessmen needed capital for expansion, they used my ancestors as collateral.
Blacks have contributed in several ways that led to bustling industries which created generational wealth. For example:
- Lewis Latimer created the carbon filament which enabled Thomas Edison’s light bulb to stay illuminated, in addition, he improved the toilet systems on railroad cars and created an air conditioning system.
- Gladys West is a Historically Black College (HBCU) graduate whose efforts led to a GPS Mapping System.
- Katherine Johnson provided the mathematical formula that enabled spacecraft to successfully take flights; where would Elon Musk’s flights in space be today, without the contribution of Ms. Johnson?
- Fred McKinley Jones created refrigeration systems that enabled perishables to be transported by trucks, planes, cargo ships and trains.
- Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performed the first heart surgery.
- The Tuskegee Airmen flew escort missions in War World II and had the lowest loss records of all escort groups.
- And In the last four football games of the 2024-2025 NFL season, three of the four quarterbacks were black, two of which played against each one another in the Super Bowl for the second time.
Dr. King sacrificed his life to move the consciousness of America and to encourage us to value people for their abilities and not their skin color. He laid the foundation for Barack Obama to successfully run and win two terms as the president of the United States.
Unfortunately, today, a zero-sum game is the playbook, executed with total disregard for the sacrifices that have propelled this nation and New Jersey to greatness. As millions watched the recent hockey game between the U.S. and Canada, both countries rooted for their respective teams while the players demonstrated pride and professionalism. During that game, we shouted from our homes, within the stadium, or at our local taverns in support of the players representing the U.S.
However, today, in our state of New Jersey, our leadership appears to be supportive of Blacks only when it is expedient. In late 2023, the results of New Jersey’s Disparity Study demonstrated systematic exclusion of blacks for equitable participation in public contracting opportunities despite their ability to provide value. While there is a lot of conversation about what is going on in Washington, the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey is laser focused on the inequities in which the 1.2 million Black New Jerseyans and the over 88,000 Black businesses must navigate to survive their coexistence. Poverty, unemployment, and net worth for Blacks are well below other groups in New Jersey.
Deflection is an often-used strategy to redirect the focus while keeping the aggrieved party engaged with a residual return while the real leader accomplishes their larger self-serving objective(s). This is an old play that has been run successfully repeatedly. Notwithstanding how one feels after they have fallen victim, while arguing within themselves, they become numb, complacent and proceed to go along to get along.
This has been the story for many Blacks in our state, however, as we look at this upcoming gubernatorial race, I am hopeful that the next governor and state legislators will work to address disparities while collectively establishing an agenda that lifts all boats equitably.
John Harmon is the founder, president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey.
