Athena D. Merritt, Philadelphia Business Journal
- Efforts are under way in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania to establish statewide African American chambers of commerce.
The efforts are separate but share the same goal of giving black businesses a statewide voice on issues. The National Black Chamber of Commerce said about a dozen states nationwide have such chambers. It is a trend that is catching on.
“The timing is right,” said Harry C. Alford, president and CEO of the national chamber. “It’s a mission, economically empowering evolving African American communities, that was a missing void.”
Locally, plans for such chambers have been being tossed around for more than a year in both states. Metropolitan Trenton African-American Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John E. Harmon left his post a little over a month ago to focus on advancing the effort. Harmon, who is working with the national chamber, expects to launch a statewide chamber by fall. The chamber will work with local chapters and have a structure that is a mix of what is being done in Florida and Illinois, said Harmon, who is in the process of raising money for the effort.
