MISSION STATEMENT

The New York State Black Business Alliance (NYSBBA) was created to empower and sustain Black businesses and the communities where they are domiciled through entrepreneurship and capitalistic initiatives across the State.


While providing a platform for New York’s Black business leaders to speak with a collective voice, the NYSBBA advocates and promotes economic diversity while fostering a climate of business growth through major initiatives.


We are dedicated to creating economic equity in public and private sector opportunities, fair representation in governmental policy and sustainable job development for Black communities throughout the state.



What is a Black Business Alliance?


A Black Business Alliance is a chamber of commerce that combines the efforts of Black Chambers of Commerce, local, regional and statewide small and large businesses, corporations, and organizations networking to develop a powerful collective voice in the interest of its constituencies. The New York State Black Business Alliance has a charter to represent its constituency throughout the state of New York by providing key resources for their growth and development, important business connections to other businesses of all sizes, and a voice within the federal, state and local government. 


History of the Black Chamber of Commerce


After the Civil War, there very were few stable or thriving Black owned businesses. Quite often Blacks were restricted from obtaining business licenses. Construction and farming were the major income providers until the turn of the century. The Industrial Revolution created a big demand for entrepreneurship and employment. This led to what became to be known as The First Migration; a time when millions of Blacks left the South in search of a better life in Northern urban areas with the prospect of working in the factories.



A counter movement was created by the President of Tuskegee Institute, Booker T. Washington .  This movement encouraged Blacks to remain in the south, develop agriculture-based businesses, and locally based retail to recycle their dollars and economically empower themselves. In 1990, Mr. Washington founded the Negro Business League. There was 40 plus chapters providing economic activity and leadership within Black communities from Texas to Maryland. The National Black Chamber of Commerce, (NBCC) a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization, was later established in 1993 based on the vision of Mr. Washington. The NYSBBA is strategically aligned with the mission of the NBCC.



The NBCC was incorporated as The National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., in 1993. It is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of Black communities. Chambers of Commerce, on the local level are supported by this national organization, which recognizes that Black businesses have a unique set of business challenges relative to other businesses throughout the United States. A Chamber of Commerce is not a governmental body or institution, and has no direct role in the writing and passage of laws and regulations that affect businesses. It may however, act as an advocate in an attempt to get laws passed that are favorable to businesses.


For most of U.S. history, women and minorities were adversely impacted by systematic discrimination that created significant obstacles to the achievement of educational, occupational and economic stability.  The intent of the NYSBBA is to eliminate systemic barriers that  adversely impact the social determinants of health, wellbeing and the economic empowerment of Black communities and businesses throughout New York State. 

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