About Us

CBCC History

Colorado has a long, rich history of African American owned businesses. This history is best exhibited by Denver’s Five Points community. Five Points became a central point for Black Americans moving to Denver in the 1920s. Black doctors, lawyers, dentists and entrepreneurs, established businesses in the community and Five Point became one of the first support networks for Black business owners. As Denver and the state of Colorado grew after World War II, African Americans and African American owned businesses became less concentrated in the neighborhood. Following the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, business leaders in the community saw a need to establish a formal advocacy organization.

The Colorado Black Chamber (CBCC) was established in 1985 with a staff of one and a handful of Black business members. Now the organization boasts corporate partners and business members along Colorado’s Front Range. The Chamber remains a solid voice for the Black business community while continuously refocusing its efforts to meet the ever changing needs of its members.

Statement on Juneteenth from the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce

Today the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce celebrates President Biden signing into law the bill establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. In light of the renewed racial justice awakening and social activism ignited by the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the bill to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, a federal holiday passed the Senate by unanimous vote and passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 415 to 14. Juneteenth National Independence Day is now the 12th federal holiday, and the first since Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK Day) was created in 1983.

Although the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 had officially outlawed slavery in those states which allowed people to be claimed as property, including Texas, enforcement of the Proclamation generally relied on the advance of Union troops.

Despite the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, many enslaved people, including those in Galveston, TX, were unaware of the Proclamation and its meaning. On the morning of Monday, June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take command of the more than 2,000 federal troops there to enforce the emancipation of enslaved people and oversee a peaceful transition of power. At this point, Major General Granger, along with those federal troops, marched throughout Galveston reading General Order No. 3. The order informed all Texans that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all enslaved people were free.

This, along with the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment, set the United States on a track to establish equality and equity for Black Americans. This is a track that we must continue even to this present day, and a track that the Colorado Black Chamber stands deeply committed to.

Today’s law recognizing June 19th as a federal holiday is another milestone of progress along that track. We, as a nation, must continue in an effort to attain “a more perfect union.” As Martin Luther King once stated: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

The vision of the CBCC is to serve the needs of African American owned businesses and provide economic opportunity and support to them as well as the communities they serve. We strive to leave our footprint in the sand of Colorado’s business landscape and forge a path that leads to a steady flow of resources beneficial to our business members through relationships, partnerships and mentorships.
Our mission is to support the initiatives of African American business owners and foster an enterprise that focuses on success and viability. We endeavor to create awareness and visibility of our efforts at local, state and federal levels through lobbying and advocacy. We strive to provide access to education and training that keeps African American business owners in step with the ever changing requirements of Colorado’s economic playing field.
Our purpose is to strengthen our role as a vital hub for connecting African American business owners and entrepreneurs with the resources needed to assist them in growing their enterprise and creating new economic opportunities and job growth in Denver and the surrounding communities.

CBCC Special Interest Groups

Experience the essence of community by joining a Special Interest Group. Our growing number of these monthly meetup groups include the Black Construction Group, the Black Retailers Group, and the Black Professional Services Group. These groups serve as conduits for industry-specific discussions, collaborations, and partnerships.

CBCC Business Series

Engage in insightful networking opportunities and informative sessions within the CBCC Business Series. This series encompasses diverse events, including Breakfast Special Topics, Summer Lunch and Learn Series, After-Hours Mixers, and periodic workshops. Look forward to our Business Accelerator Programs, aimed at empowering individuals to establish or expand their small businesses.

CBCC Programs, Events and Opportunities

The CBCC has programs, events and opportunities that connect big businesses to small businesses; honor leadership; provide social networking; offer information, training and education tailored to today’s marketplace; fundraise on behalf of community, civic and youth efforts and celebrate our unity.

See Events Calendar

The CBCC provides extraordinary customer service, reasonable member rates and value-added resources. It works with other area chambers to give members a broad range of opportunity for networking and visibility. It’s more than a business as usual membership organization. It’s the best friend and partner of its members, working exclusively on their behalf and providing the assistance and support they need.

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Need help finding the right membership package for your needs? We’ll work with you to customize something that works for your business.

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