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The year was 2011 and I’m working as an independent urban journalist writing about cities and built environments across the U.S.
Consistent with my nomadic nature, I would randomly pick a locale, travel there, and do an intensive 48-72 hour exegesis of the city. I’d chat with area residents in parks, experiment with the local transportation systems, converse with the staff at local bars and restaurants, attend local civic events, and meet with downtown partnership and chamber of commerce leaders about their economic and community development opportunities and challenges.
I did experience a very subtle racial discomfort while visiting there. Oddly, what I was feeling was reconfirmed during a lunch meeting I had with a representative from a local civic organization who asked me whether I felt uncomfortable or unusual as an African-American man visiting the area. Her awareness around the fact that this issue indeed did exist was all the acknowledgment I needed to feel better about my Salt Lake experience.
There was one overt encounter though that did rattle me a bit. When walking out of a restaurant with my wife at the time (who happened to be white) and daughter, a man seated at the table facing our direction stared us down with the most hateful daggers in his eyes while we were leaving. Sadly, my wife who had never witnessed anything of that magnitude was reduced to tears when we were outside.
Nevertheless, I walked away with a generally positive and favorable impression of the city. Since then I’d always wanted to revisit the area (which I did twice in 2021) and found that it had changed immensely.
So imagine my reaction when I stumbled upon a book called “Black Utah,” by way of a post that appeared on my LinkedIn feed a few months ago. Curious, I immediately purchased a copy of the book.
James Jackson III, Founder of the Utah Black Chamber and the book’s curator wrote in the introduction:
“The best snow on Earth with arguably the best mountain lands in the country. Five national parks full of amazing hiking trails, mountain and rock formations, and majestic landscapes. Business reviews and economists rank Utah. The top in the country for business and opportunity. The home base of the LDS (Mormon Church). This is usually how Utah is identified. What is not associated with Utah is diversity, particularly as a home to African-Americans.”
Providing a bit of perspective about the evolution of Utah’s Black population, he offered this:
“When the Utah Black Chamber was founded in 2009, the Black population was less than one percent. Due to the growth of Utah’s economy, the Black population experienced another surge in growth in 2014, doubling the population again….
….As Utah continually grows, and attracts more professionals from out of state, many Black Americans have been contacting the Black Chamber about the Black experience in Utah. Questions would be asked like: Is it safe? How are the Mormons? Do Black people live there? Where do I go to church? Get a haircut? They are inquiring if there’s a community for them.”
James himself grew up in Salt Lake City, raised by a young couple that surrounded him with a positive experience.
He says:
“They understood and applied the saying 'it takes a village to raise a child.' Even though my parents were young, they worked hard to keep my sister and me in a safe and stable environment. Throughout my childhood, I was shy and introverted. I just stuck to books and out of trouble, and went on to graduate college with degrees in marketing and finance”
From there he spent nearly 20 years in the financial industry, beginning with financial services, then on to mortgage lending, commercial lending, consumer lending, and all-encompassing banking.
“From my experience in the industry, I instructed Personal Finance as an adjunct instructor at the local community college and taught financial literacy classes across the community. My passion has always been developing the community. And in 2019, I was named as the new Supplier Diversity Program Manager for Zions Bancorporation, which further allows me to help elevate and provide opportunities for Utah’s minority-owned businesses.”
James says he has been in public speaking since he was 13 years old when his grandfather began taking around the country to Baptist conventions and representing the youth.
“My first public speaking gig was in front of several hundred old men! However, what I discovered from that was even though I was shy, I enjoyed public speaking and inspiring people. From that point, I took every opportunity I could to give a talk.”
2009 is when he founded the Utah Black Chamber.
“My vision was to not only help in the economic development of my community, but to continue to lift and inspire those around me, and become the premier organization of the African-American and minority communities in connecting, engaging, and educating. The chamber now has a foundation, over 200 members and growing exponentially, two new chapters representing several hundred Black businesses, and is working to expand throughout Utah.”
Asked about what fueled the decision to publish the book, James had this to say:
“Being a Utah native, I was frustrated with several things. First, after high school, many of my good friends left because of the lack of diversity. I stayed because I was offered free tuition to the University of Utah. Then there was the fact that the Black community has been a constant revolving door and as opportunities here have attracted young Black talent, that too has been even a bigger and faster revolving door.”
He says that people have always had negative things to say about Utah in general and can’t believe that someone like him is a native, is still living there, and not LDS
With this being said, James says that he is fully committed to changing the narrative.
“I’ve wanted to be a pioneer for change and hope to be an example of how Utah can be for emerging diverse leaders. I want to let people know about Utah for diverse people and how they can really thrive here and hope to create more opportunities for not only a growing diverse presence but also a diverse presence of leadership.”
In terms of some of the biggest misconceptions that outsiders have about Utah’s Black community, he rattled three off:
“One, there isn’t one, namely a Black community; two, it’s all about the Utah Jazz; and three, we’re all LDS.”
He cites the book as just one avenue for helping to dispel those myths.
“The Utah Black Chamber and other local Black organizations have also worked hard to create a community that best represents who we are. Now we are focused on how we tell that story to all outside of Utah. The book is only the first step. We have much more in the works.”
In terms of the biggest historical milestones around the racial legacy of Black Utah, James offered these:
There’s a debate about who actually discovered Utah. Us, Black Utah, say it’s Green Flake when Brigham Young sent him out to see where to settle, and Green Flake came back to him and said “This is the place.”
Juneteenth became a state holiday several years before it became a national holiday with the help of the first Black woman state representative, who is still representing her district today (also featured in the book)
The Utah Black Chamber is one of the strongest Black Chambers in the country.
The book, of course
The next step is the Black Success Center, which is a community and economic development hub launching in March.
He concludes:
“Now, with this momentum and realizing what myself and the community can really achieve, I’m dreaming bigger than I ever have and the sky is now the limit for Utah’s Black community. So, now I just want to see how we can go.”
