We are forever grateful and honored to have forged relations with so many that remain committed to advancing the mission of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Inc. As we look forward to our upcoming 20th Anniversary on June 15, 2027, we ask others to consider joining us in our efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of the state of New Jersey through intentional equitable strategies on behalf of the 124,000 black owned businesses and the 1.2 million black New Jerseyans.

This text lists notable African American historical icons, national civil rights leaders, and regional New Jersey figures, business leaders, and community organizers, combining prominent figures like Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman with local New Jersey political and civic leaders.

National Icons & Civil Rights Figures

• Frederick Douglass & Harriet Tubman: Renowned 19th-century abolitionists.
• Booker T. Washington & Carter G. Woodson: Influential educators and historical scholars.
• Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, & Stokely Carmichael: Central leaders of the mid-20th-century Civil Rights and Black Power movements. 
• Jessie Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, John Boyd

Innovators, Authors, & Achievers

• Lewis Latimer: Prominent inventor who worked with Thomas Edison and in Newark, New Jersey.
• Katherine Johnson: Trailblazing NASA mathematician.
• Reginald Lewis,  Fred Jordan, and John Templeton: Noted business leaders and financiers.

Sports & Regional Figures

• Athletes: Reggie Jackson, Doc Gooden, and Darryl Strawberry.
• New Jersey & Regional Leaders: Figures such as the late New Jersey State Senator Ronald Rice, & Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, Newark civic figures like Gus Heningburg, and various local organizers, clergy, and personal & business professionals connected to New Jersey community leadership, i.e., Maynard Jackson, Marion Barry, Eric Adams, John Rodgers, Jr., Pazel Jackson, Jr., Harry Alford, Kay Debow, Dr. Ken Harris, Bill Brooks, Charles Thomas, Malcolm Dunn, Danny Dunn, Rev. Dr. Keith Wright, Bud Gravette, Adair Harmon, Alan Cohen, George Sowa, Diane Tracey, Brenda Ross Dulan, Rev. Dr. Deforest Soaries, and Michael Garner.

Below is a snapshot of the organizations, of which there are too many to name, that have contributed to the success of the AACCNJ:

Founding Corporations/ Government Support

PSE&G

Investors Bank

Wells Fargo

Johnson & Johnson

Sykes Foundation

New Jersey Community Capital

The Murphy Administration

The Christie Administration

Senator Ronald Rice

Senator Shirley Turner

Senator Joseph Pennocchio

Suzanne Clark, US Chamber of Commerce

Sara Armstrong, US Chamber of Commerce

President's Club Members/Supporters

Business Consulting - American Management Services; Synergies Companies; Young Management & Consulting

Business & Economic Development Resources - NJBIZ; ROI

Construction (including Electrical and Janitorial) - Bowa Construction; Earle; Electra Grid Solutions LLC; Electra Lines LLC; Empower Construction LLC; Ferreira Construction Co Inc; J. Fletcher Creamer & Son Inc.; Jingoli; K Johnson Enterprises LLC.; LB Electric Co. LLC;  Metro RF Services Inc.; Reuben Cooley Incorporated; Revenant Construction Group; Skyline; Strategic Infrastructure Solutions; Structure Tone LLC; Team Clean Inc.; Turner Construction Company

Consulting – Cyber Security Consulting Ops; Huntler Management

Engineering - Burns & McDonnell; H2M Associates Inc.; Infrastructure Engineering Inc.; Milhouse Engineering & Construction

Faith - Christ Church

Financials - Ariel Investments; BCB Bank; Citizens Bank; Columbia Bank; Credit Union of New Jersey; Crossriver Bank; Fedcap; First Bank; Fulton Bank; JP Morgan Chase; LISC; Loop Capital; M&T Bank; Manasquan Bank; New Jersey Community Capital; Northfield Bank; Peapack-Gladstone Bank; OceanFirst Bank; PNC Bank; Provident Bank; Prudential Advisors; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Santander Bank; Siebert Williams Shank & Co. LLC; TD Bank; Truist; Valley National Bank; Wells Fargo

Health (including Pharmaceutical) - Aetna; Atlantic Health System; Capital Health; Robert Wood Johnson - RWJBarnabas Health; University Hospital; Johnson & Johnson; Novartis Services Inc.; Hackensack Meridian Health; Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Virtua Health

Insurance – Cure; Legacy Future Benefits & Insurance Services

Logistics - Davis EIS

Manufacturing - NJMEP; Quality Packaging Specialists International (QPSI)

Marketing and Advertising - UniWorld Group (UWG)

Medical Uniform- Unitex

Rentals - Enterprise Rent A Car

Retail - General Motors; Ray Catena Family of Dealerships

Services - United Airlines; Amazon; HNTB Corporation; Reworld; Solix Inc.

Sports - North Jersey Pro Soccer LLC

State Agency - New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA); Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ)

Technology – Fiserv; Highstep Technologies Inc.; Jasfel Analytics LLC; PRWT Services

Telecommunications - AT&T; Verizon; Avatar Tech, Comcast, T-Mobile

Transportation- Hermann Services; Lyft Inc.

Utilities - American Water; Atlantic City Electric; Consolidated Edison; Jersey Central Power & Light Company;  PSE&G; SJI

To our trusted partners, you have made the true difference. You stood by us through challenges and shared in our triumphs. Thank you for believing in our mission – we look forward to sharing this 20th anniversary with you.