Black Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame Event

The Black Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame event was hosted by Centenary University’s President Dale G. Caldwell. The event was held in the Taylor Memorial Library on Feb. 27. 

It focused on honoring legendary black entrepreneurs and educating the public about the contributions of black business founders including President Caldwell along with…

• John E. Harmon Sr. (C.E.O. of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey) 

• Gary Mann (chairman of the board for African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey)

• Glenn C. Best (executive director for the Black Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame)

The Hall of Fame showcases the barriers of race and class shattered by black entrepreneurs on their path to extraordinary success. It aims to recognize overlooked black pioneers, acknowledging their achievements despite racial biases.

The Cyclone Chronicle interviewed a handful of these inspiring individuals.

What does this event and the Black Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame, as a whole, mean to you?

President Caldwell: I’m so proud of founding the Black Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame and the group that put it together,  my three friends: John Harmon from the African American Chamber, Gary who is the chairman of the board, and Glenn who is the executive director. They each had a chance to talk about black entrepreneurship. We talked about how businesses are important to New Jersey, and how black entrepreneurship is good for everybody today. I think that’s an important message that we discussed. If we’re really talking about corporation boards, not many have enough people of color on their boards, and those kinds of things aren’t talked about enough, so it was a great day and evening.

Do you have any words of inspiration for young black entrepreneurs that you would like to share?

Harmon: Follow your dreams, but follow them with excellence. Get all your questions answered. Be fully immersed in understanding what you’re trying to accomplish. Then, go for it. There are so many resources available, particularly for young people today. People want to connect with young folks because there is a perception about young people. One perception is that they can do everything. Yet, another perception says they can’t do anything. So, I admire a young person, who steps up, and talks to a gray-haired person like me and says, “I’m looking to do this.” If you’re serious about something, follow that dream.

Mann: There are tremendous opportunities for black entrepreneurs to engage with procurement and capital access amongst our community of business leaders here in the state. We look forward to positioning those companies, those businesses, and those inspiring entrepreneurs to collaborate with our partners, the African American Chamber of Commerce, and others into helping elevate them and placing them on the path to creating a sustainable business.

Best: Don’t be afraid to leap, just go do it. You might come up with many reasons why not to do it: it’s not the right time, you don’t have the money, or you want to be somewhere else in your life first. But, if you have a good idea and you have the fire to actually do it, just go do it. Write a plan on a piece of napkin if you have to, and just leap.