(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 1/10/2023)
ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION
No. 29
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS -JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman REGINALD W. ATKINS
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Designates August of each year as “Black Business Month” in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Community Development and Affairs
Committee with technical review.
AJR29 REYNOLDS-JACKSON, ATKINS
2
A JOINT RESOLUTION designating August of each year as “Black 1
Business Month” in New Jersey. 2
3
WHEREAS, Black-owned businesses are an essential part of New 4
Jersey’s economy, and it is in the best interests of the State that 5
Black-owned businesses in New Jersey thrive; and 6
WHEREAS, Roughly 10 percent of American businesses are owned by 7
Black Americans and more than half of all Black business owners 8
are female, a higher percentage than any other demographic; and 9
WHEREAS, During the past decade, the number of Black-owned 10
businesses has been growing at a faster rate than overall business 11
growth in the United States; and 12
WHEREAS, Despite rapid growth, the percentage of businesses owned 13
by Black Americans is still substantially lower than the percentage 14
of Black Americans in the general population; and 15
WHEREAS, An increase in the proportion of Black-owned businesses 16
would be beneficial to the Black community and the overall 17
economy by improving economic freedom for Black Americans; 18
and 19
WHEREAS, The Black community faces many economic 20
disadvantages, such as higher unemployment rates, lower home 21
ownership rates, and less accumulated wealth, which can be 22
mitigated by the success of Black-owned businesses; and 23
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected 24
Black business owners, forcing twice as many to close their 25
businesses as white business owners; and 26
WHEREAS, While the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated 27
government support for the entire business community in New 28
Jersey, greater closures among Black-owned businesses have 29
exacerbated the economic disadvantages already faced by Black 30
Americans, and Black business owners would benefit from 31
increased awareness of actions that would aid economic recovery 32
and promote the long term success of Black-owned businesses; and 33
WHEREAS, “Black Business Month” has been observed nationally 34
since August 2004, when it was established by historian John 35
William Templeton and engineer Frederick E. Jordan Sr.; and 36
WHEREAS, The goal of “Black Business Month”, as established by 37
Mr. Templeton and Mr. Jordan, is to influence the policy agenda 38
affecting Black-owned businesses, support Black business owners, 39
and promote greater economic freedom for Black Americans; and 40
WHEREAS, The observance of “Black Business Month” in August of 41
each year provides government officials, community leaders, and 42
business leaders with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of 43
Black-owned businesses and focus on ways to support Black 44
business owners in the State of New Jersey; now, therefore, 45
46
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and General Assembly of the 47
State of New Jersey: 48
AJR29 REYNOLDS-JACKSON, ATKINS
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1. The month of August of each year shall be designated as 1
“Black Business Month” in the State of New Jersey to promote the 2
success of Black-owned businesses in the State. 3
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2. The Governor is respectfully requested to annually issue a 5
proclamation recognizing August as “Black Business Month” in 6
New Jersey and calling upon institutions of learning and culture to 7
observe the month with appropriate activities and programs. 8
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3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately. 10