National Black Chamber of Commerce explained

The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) was incorporated as The National Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., in 1993. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities. Additionally, the organization indicates that it represents the views of its members regarding economic and political policy issues; domestically and internationally. It is organized as a 501(c) corporation and has at least 190 chapters within the United States. The NBCC also has international chapters in the Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana and Jamaica.^[1] As with all Chambers of Commerce, affiliate branches are committed to carrying out the goals of the main Chamber within their areas.

However, the organization is largely funded by non-African American businesses on behalf of whose interests it often lobbies, such as the fossil fuel, telecommunications,^{[2] [3] [4]} and tobacco industries,^{[5] [6]} and has sometimes been accused of being a front group.^{[4] [2] [7]}

Origin

The NBCC is a very young national organization when compared to others such as the NAACP and the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE). NBCC was founded in 1993 by Harry C. Alford and his wife Kay DeBow. Alford, who serves as the first President and CEO, is also a board member of the United States Chamber of Commerce.^[8] In an interview reported in Human Events, Mr. Alford identifies with the Booker T. Washington approach to African American self empowerment and sees the approach of W.E.B. Du Bois and the NAACP (whom he calls enemies of Washington) as primarily political.^[9]

Mission

The stated mission of the NBCC is to "economically empower and sustain African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black Diaspora".^[10] It claims to be the first major African American organization to focus on economic empowerment.

Funding

The NBCC "is funded primarily by fossil fuel energy companies, including Koch Industries and ExxonMobil," according to a 2015 analysis by the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.^[11] ExxonMobil includes the NBCC on its 2004 list of contributions and community investments.^{[12] [13]} From 2002 through 2014 NBCC received $1 million,^[11] and from 2008 through 2015 $800,000, from Exxon Mobil.^{[14] [15] [16]} In June 2015 Peabody Energy contributed $10,000 to the NBCC.^[17] Other fossil fuel companies that have funded NBCC include the Gulf Power Company division of the Southern Company^[11] and Chevron.^[11] The NBCC acknowledges funding from fossil fuel companies.^{[16] [18]}

NBCC has also received funding from and lobbied on behalf of the tobacco industry. Tobacco company Altria was scheduled to sponsor the 2004 Fall Summit meeting in Negril, Jamaica.^[19] It had previously received funding from Altria's predecessor Philip Morris Companies Inc and from the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and facilitated marketing access to its members.^[6] In March 2011, Alford appeared before a U. S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel to oppose proposed restrictions on menthol cigarettes, which are used disproportionately by African Americans. In doing so, he sided with Lorillard, whose major product was mentholated Newport cigarettes, and which had been an NBCC member since 2008, paying $35,000 in dues annually.^[5]

NBCC has also received funding from and lobbied on behalf of the telecommunications industry. Verizon was listed as a funder of NBCC,^{[3] [4]} which has in turn lobbied the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) against net neutrality and other telecommunications industry regulations.^{[3] [4]} NBCC also voiced support for a proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile.^[5]

Hewlett-Packard sponsored the 2003 Annual convention in Birmingham, Alabama.^[20] Lord Abbett and New York Life participated with the NBCC in the sponsorship of the Building Wealth Tour.^[21] The American Chemistry Council has also funded NBCC.^[11]

In 2015, Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings urged NBCC to cut ties with industry groups that spread misinformation on air pollution.^{[11] [22] [23]}

Positions

The NBCC "has been a staunch ally of utility and fossil fuel companies for nearly a quarter century," according to the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.^[11]

• In 1998, Alford testified before the United States Congress that the Kyoto Protocol would harm minority-owned small businesses.^[11]
• In testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions regarding Senate Bill S.625, the NBCC stated that it opposes increased the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation of tobacco. The reason for its opposition is that the regulation would impose fees affecting small tobacco retailing and distribution businesses in the U.S., many of which are owned by Black Americans.^[24]
• In public comments regarding the Microsoft antitrust case, the NBCC along with the Telecommunications Research and Action Center and the National Native American Chamber of Commerce indicated that the case settlement was inadequate in terms of consumer protection and that additional remedies were required.^[25]
• The NBCC denies the scientific consensus on climate change, stating on their website that "...there is no sound science to support the claims of Global Warming." In 2009, NBCC opposed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a proposed emissions trading plan.^[26]
• The NBCC supports the Keystone XL Pipeline.^{[16] [18] [27]}
• In 2015 the NBCC opposed the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan.^{[13] [17]} In June 2015 NBCC released a report entitled Potential Impact of Proposed EPA Regulations on Low Income Groups and Minorities;^[17] the Union of Concerned Scientists said the report "relies on misleading claims cut-and-pasted from several previously debunked reports."^{[28] [29]} Seven newspapers published op-eds from the NBCC saying that the Plan will impose "economic hardship" on blacks and Hispanics; none of the newspapers disclosed NBCC's funding from the Exxon Mobil Foundation.^[13]

References

• Web site: National Black Chamber of Commerce . 2007-02-19.

Citations

1. Web site: National Black Chamber of Commerce - About Us, Organizational Profile . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928081848/http://www.nationalbcc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=9 . dead . 2007-09-28 . 2007-02-19.
2. Web site: Davies. Ken. National Black Chamber of Commerce: Fossil Funders Revealed. Climate Investigations Center. 20 August 2015. 27 March 2017.
3. Web site: Kushnick. Bruce. Verizon, AT&T and the manipulation of public opinion. Nieman Watchdog. Nieman Foundation at Harvard University. 27 March 2017. 4 April 2007.
4. Web site: Dampier. Philip. Special Report — Astroturf Overload – Broadband for America = One Giant Industry Front Group. 2 October 2009. 27 March 2017.
5. News: Lorber. Janie. Some Question Black Chamber of Commerce. 27 March 2017. Roll Call. 18 May 2011.
6. Yerger VB, Malone RE. African American leadership groups: smoking with the enemy. Tobacco Control. December 2002. 11. 4. 336–45. 12432159. 10.1136/tc.11.4.336. 1747674.
7. News: Alvarado. Francisco. National Black Chamber of Commerce, Solar Energy Critic, Rakes in Cash From Polluters. 27 March 2017. Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. 13 August 2015.
8. Web site: U. S. Chamber of Commerce - Board of Directors . https://web.archive.org/web/20030112113315/http://www.uschamber.com/about/board/all.htm . dead . 2003-01-12 . 2007-03-13.
9. Web site: D'Agostino . Joseph A. . Conservative Spotlight: National Black Chamber of Commerce . 2004-08-05 . 2007-03-14 .
10. Web site: National Black Chamber of Commerce - Strategic Plan . 2007-02-19.
11. News: . National Black Chamber of Commerce, Solar Energy Critic, Rakes in Cash From Polluters . August 13, 2015 . Francisco . Alvarado . January 20, 2017.
12. Web site: Exxon Mobil Corporation 2004 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments . https://web.archive.org/web/20060212153705/http://www.exxonmobil.com/corporate/files/corporate/giving04_publicpolicy.pdf . dead . 2006-02-12 . 2007-02-26.
13. News: National Black Chamber Of Commerce Joins Oil Industry's Op-Ed Campaign Against EPA Climate Plan; Exxon-Funded Outfit Peddles Debunked Studies To Dispute Clean Power Plan's Benefit For Blacks And Hispanics . January 20, 2017 . June 26, 2015 . Andrew . Seifter . Denise . Robbins . Media Matters for America.
14. News: ExxonMobil Is Still Spending Millions of Dollars on Climate Science Deniers . July 16, 2015 . Elliott . Negin . January 20, 2017 . .
15. News: Exxon Continued Paying Millions To Climate-Change Deniers Under Rex Tillerson . January 9, 2017 . Alexander C. . Kaufman . January 20, 2017 . .
16. News: In smog battle, industry gets help from unlikely source: black business group . Joby . Warrick . September 28, 2015 . January 20, 2017. .
17. News: Goldman . Gretchen . Gretchen Goldman . June 30, 2016 . Peabody Energy Discloses Extensive Payments to Climate Denial Groups . The Equation . . January 20, 2017.
18. Web site: Fossil Fuels and African Americans – It's Family! . National Black Chamber Of Commerce . Alford . Harry . January 20, 2017.
19. Web site: eBlast September 4, 2004 . 2007-02-26.
20. Web site: HP News Release . https://web.archive.org/web/20030806183812/http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2003/030731b.html . dead . 2003-08-06 . 2007-02-26.
21. Web site: New York Life Insurance Company, The National Black Chamber of Commerce and Lord Abbett Kick-Off The Building Wealth Tour for African-American Small Business Owners . https://web.archive.org/web/20041211165753/http://www.newyorklife.com/cda/0,3254,14358,00.html . dead . 2004-12-11 . 2007-02-26.
22. News: Will Florida Voters Be Duped Into Killing Solar Power? . Samantha . Schuyler . November 4, 2016 . . January 20, 2017.
23. Web site: Alcee . Hastings . Alcee Hastings . Hastings Urges the National Black Chamber Of Commerce to Cut Ties With Polluters . . August 7, 2015 . January 20, 2017 . Alcee Hastings.
24. Web site: National Black Chamber Opposes New FDA Tobacco Regulations . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928060823/http://www.blackenterprise.com/yb/ybopen.asp?section=ybaa&story_id=103999633&ID=blackenterprise . dead . 2007-09-28 . 2007-03-07 . 2007-03-19 .
25. Web site: Microsoft Settlement Comments Submitted by the Telecommunications Research & Action Center, National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Native American Chamber of Commerce . 2002-01-28 . 2007-04-09 .
26. Web site: Environmental Racism, Global Warming and Climate Change . National Black Chamber of Commerce . Harry . Alford . January 20, 2017.
27. Web site: Black Business Leader Calls on Obama Administration to Approve Keystone XL . October 7, 2011 . National Black Chamber of Commerce . January 20, 2017 .
28. Web site: National Black Chamber of Commerce Report on Clean Power Plan . . August 19, 2015 . January 20, 2017.
29. Web site: New Flawed Study of the Clean Power Plan: How the MISI Study Gets It So Wrong . John . Rogers . June 12, 2015 . January 20, 2017 . .