Guide to the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania Digital Archive AACCWP

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania Digital Archive
Creator
African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
Collection Number
AACCWP
Extent
928 items
Date
1999-2017
Mission Statement
The mission of the African American Chamber of 
Commerce of Western Pennsylvania (the Chamber) is to continuously improve business and professional opportunities for African American Business owners and professionals. Guided by the core values of [promoting] equity in opportunity, economic advancement, self-sufficiency and entrepreneurial excellence, we seek to advance economic parity for the African American Business community by insuring full participation in public and private sectors throughout the region. The material available in this online collection documents some of the history of the AACCWP through past announcements on programs and events.
Language
English .
Author
Shawn Hicks.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Scope and Content Notes

The material documents communication efforts and planned events carried out by the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania.

History

The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania (AACCWP) was chartered on March 8,1994 as a Charitable Trust 501(c)(6) by a volunteer group of local businessmen who immediately began recruiting business and corporate members to join the new organization. After three years of successful creation of the base, the organization needed a central location from which to offer access to resources and information. The AACCWP began to look for office space and conducted a formal nationwide search for an Executive Director. With the help of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the AACCWP opened its office in the Regional Enterprise Tower in late September 1998 and hired its first Executive Director, Doris Carson Williams, now President and CEO.

The Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce agreed to serve as fiscal agent pending completion of requisite corporate status. The 501(c)(3) corporate status for the African American Chamber Foundation was awarded on March 15, 2000 providing the tax incentive for financial participation of mainstream corporations. It is a full service organization, offering business training, technical assistance, and business tools to strengthen the business acumen of African American and other minority firms. The membership grew from under 50 members in 1998 to its current level of over 500 small business owners and professionals, and over 35 corporate sponsors. It is now ranked the 11th largest Chamber in the Ten County region. In October 2012, the AACCWP relocated its offices to its current home in the Koppers Building, Downtown.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania

Container List

Series III. Financials

Scope and Content Notes

The Chamber is managed by a certified public accounting firm and produces an annual report each year on the continued strength and viability of the organization. All reports and financial information is contained here within.

Series IV. Multimedia

Scope and Content Notes

This category features the different forms of media on the events and programs produced by the Chamber. This includes audio, video, still images, all either printed or hand produced.